My oh my. Have you ever noticed when people post on social media they are grabbing their popcorn to watch the drama? That is exactly what The Family Next Door made me want, a nice big bowl of popcorn while I sat back and read the drama that oozed from the residents of Pleasant Court.

The story starts off with a flash of Essie’s life as she suffers a breakdown as a new mother. The lack of sleep dealing with a restless baby finally made her snap and she wandered off leaving her baby at the local park. One may ask just how could any loving mother possibly get to that point??

But then we dive into the suburb of Pleasant Court a few years later after Essie seems to have gotten her life back on track with the help of therapy. Thankfully her daughter was safe that day and now she has a second baby in her life and hopes to not repeat the past.

As a new resident moves into the neighborhood the ladies of Pleasant Court are left wondering just who has joined them. Isabelle is single and childless so she doesn’t exactly fit the family friendly picture of perfection but she quickly dives in and begins to get to know the residents.

The story switches the point of view between several of the characters as it dives into the secrets and lies of several of the families of this neighborhood. Along with all of the drama the story has a bit of a mystery involved with the new neighbor and a mysterious missing baby.

Practically everyone in the sleepy suburb had things to hide and problems behind their closed doors that kept the drama coming all throughout the story. Much of the story is reminiscent of a daytime soap opera that I just couldn’t turn away from as we take a peek at the lives of the characters in the story but with a bit of mystery mixed in it became even that much more addictive. With great writing and a non stop story I found myself engrossed until the very end and will definitely look for more from this author in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

An exciting read that revolves around three families living in—what seems to be—the perfect suburb. But nothing is ever as it seems, and no one is ever who they make themselves out to be. The story focuses on the relationships between several women who live complicated lives. It delves into their relationships with their partners, children, and each other.

This is a great read with a few unexpected twists and turns. The characters have real-to-life issues and secrets that keep you intrigued throughout the book. I love a good read that keeps me captivated from page one, and this book definitely had the ability to do that.

Essie Walker is a new mum to baby Mia and after 8 weeks, is just not feeling maternal. One day, Mia’s crying just gets to Essie and she leaves her in her pram in the park. Thankfully, Essie’s mother, Barbara, who lives next door, realizes what’s happened and gets Mia back home safely.

Three years later, Essie and her husband, Ben, have another daughter named Polly. After Essie’s postpartum depression with Mia, Ben had been reluctant to try for another child, however, Essie seems to be doing fairly well. With her mother close-by, she feels like she can call on her if she gets stressed.

Essie and Ben live on Pleasant Court which has nice family homes. When a new neighbor, Isabelle Heatherington, a single woman, moves in, the neighbors are intrigued and their first thought is that she is gay.

Fran and Ange are people who live on the street with their husbands and children. Although they see each other often, the neighbors aren’t all very close. However, they decide that it would be a good idea to put together a neighborhood watch and call a meeting. Instead of going to the meeting, Essie decides to drop in on Isabelle and get to know her better. They instantly click and Essie wants to be with her a lot.

Knowing her daughter like she does, Barbara feels that Essie may be about to have a breakdown. Soon, all kinds of secrets are becoming known and the solid families realize that things in their lives aren’t as perfect as they may have thought.

This is rather like a soap opera where the lives of each family is opened and examined. Some people are guilty of various things and others are the victims. However, the story is a good one and the ending is not what one thinks it will be. I’m sure readers will enjoy visiting Pleasant Court.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I requested a copy of Sally Hepworth's The Family Next Door because I was intrigued by the premise of a series of lies all coming together to a blow up finale. Call me a Liane Moriarity junkie, and I will agree. (Don't fret everyone, for reference, this book was compared to her work in the promo.)

Pleasant Court in Melbourne is a sleepy street where not much happens except the occasional child injury. Except what happens behind closed doors is always more salacious than anyone will let on. Fran and her husband have dealt with their fair share of ups and downs in the recent births of their two children. Ange spends an ungodly amount of time trying to portray the perfect life on social media with her husband and two boys. Essie and her family are trying to forget about her episode of post-partum depression after her first child and secretly guarding against it happening with their second. Thank goodness her mother lives just next door. When Isabelle moves in to a rental on the street, her urban glamour intrigues everyone, not the least of which features Essie. As the heat builds, both literally and figuratively, everyone's lives will come to a head as secrets come to light and families are changed.

This review takes two positions: the first is that the book itself is a little outlandish, and the second is that it was a fun read. I was reminded repeatedly of Big Little Lies, which, as I mentioned earlier in the post, shouldn't surprise anyone since the promotion for this book compared this book to her work. I'll start with the first statement so we can hurry up and get to why this book was a fun read.

I was into this book for a good long while, because Hepworth does a great job of creating interesting characters. Ange was insufferable in that way that you enjoy reading her and hating her all at the same time. We all know people like this in our lives, women who go out of their way to portray a perfect life on social media when you know your kid blows out his diaper just like mine. It's completely insufferable, and you can easily spot an Ange a mile away. Like, really, we aren't stupid. I dropped most of these people on social media during the Great Unfriending of 2016, but I still have a couple on my feed. I really felt for Fran and the difficulties in her marriage, as that was so easy to relate to. Essie fascinated me, and I wanted to get to the bottom of her issues. Isabelle was intriguing. So it's fair to say I was captivated by the characters, and their husbands too.

The story just went a little off the rails when we get to the crux of why Isabelle moved to Pleasant Court. It absolutely was not what I was expecting, I'll give the author that. It was a surprise, because it looks like Hepworth is leaning left and then she spins right. I liked that. However, once the motives are revealed, the story took a turn for the unrealistic in an eye-rolling way. I don't want to give anything away, because I think the book is definitely worth a read for the fun of it, but it's fair to say that the explosiveness of the revelation was downplayed by the melodramatic plot bits.

Back to the good parts of this book. I mentioned the characters earlier, and I think that the strong and intriguing character development is Hepworth's strength. I also loved the suspense that Hepworth was able to bring to the story, as it kept me intrigued enough to grab my Kindle and read that instead of the hard copy books I keep at my bedside. (I use my Kindle for commuting and don't often read it at home, so it's a testament to the intrigue that I wanted to read this book instead of one just an arm's reach away.) The intrigue is what kept me coming back and pushed me through to the end, and that's why I would recommend this book. It was exactly what I needed in the middle of an edit for my (very emotionally heavy) dissertation -- a bit of intrigue, a dash of character love, and a whole lot of page turning.

Happy Publishing Day to The Family Next Door!

I started this book mid morning yesterday and I finished it last night. It's a quick read and I found it to be intriguing enough to want to finish it all in the same day.

This is a story about 4 women who have secrets. We meet Essie, Ange, Fran and then a new neighbor, Isabelle moves in. This reminded me of Big Little Lies in that everyone wants to know everyone else's business. They also seem to have "Perfect lives" in Pleasant Court...I mean it's named Pleasant Court right? But each family "next door" has their own deep dark secrets and the novel unravels them at a nice pace.

I've read a lot of thriller/suspense novels as that's my preferred genre. As I read a story I always try to guess what may be the twist. I definitely thought I had the major one in this book but I was off slightly to where it gave me a "what??" moment.

If you like stories about families who may seem perfect but have secrets to share and want a fast read then definitely pick up The Family Next Door

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and the Author Sally Hepworth for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I had high hopes for this book. I have heard of the author but have never read any books by her so I was thrilled to be approved for this arc.

First, the good. The story's pace moves along quickly. Even though it has several different perspectives, I really had no trouble keeping up with who was in charge of what at which time. The characters have real flaws and despite that, overall they are relatable.

The so-so. Just because they're relatable doesn't mean that they're likable. It's easy to find characteristics in real life people to like despite their flaws, it's not as easy with book characters. Not liking the characters made me kind of turn off.

The bad. The story is kind of rushed. Maybe an extra 50 pages or so would have fleshed it out a little bit better. It's also kind of sensational, which I suppose is the point. But it's sensational to the point of being unbelievable, which I didn't really think was the point in this kind of novel.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It's a quick read, but not particularly memorable. 3.5 stars.

Welcome to Pleasant Court, a cul-de-sac not unlike Wisteria Lane. All is not what it seems from the outside in Pleasant Court and when a single new neighbor moves in, lives start to unravel. Hepworth does a great job of leading the reader astray as secrets are revealed. A very entertaining read from start to finish, one that will leave you more than "pleasantly" surprised.

I have mixed feelings about this book. How well do you know your neighbors vs how well do you want to know your neighbors. I liked that each of the female characters told their story in their own words. But I felt that every time I really got interested in what the character was going through the author would abruptly change to another character. I found that annoying. It was an interesting read but a little too much drama for one neighborhood.

I am a big fan of books by this author (The Secrets of Midwives, The Things We Keep, The Mother's Promise). I had heard that this book was a departure from her previous novels, but I'm not sure that I agree. There was maybe a bit more of an unsettling mystery surrounding one of the new neighbors, but I think there has been a bit of that seen in prior works. What Hepworth does well is suck you into her stories because of the characters. She writes about seemingly normal people who may not be as normal as you think. Particularly in this book, they all have secrets they are hiding from not only their neighbors, but in most cases, from their spouses. This was a fast read for me, the alternating short chapters are told by each of five women in the neighborhood. I found myself racing through to find out not just the mystery behind the new neighbor, but how life pans out for all the other women. Despite it being a super engaging read, I did think there were just a few too many problems going on. I know the saying you don't always know what goes on in your neighbors house, but come on.....these people were ALL messed up! Couldn't we have a couple normal ones in the bunch, just for my sanity?

This is a fast paced story with some real life people, in some messed up secrets and lies. It's not what I would classify as a thriller, since most of the secrets are more scandal than sinister, but you will find yourself caught up in the lives of these neighbors. It's definitely worth the read.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. Thank you!

This was a fantastic read! This story takes place on Pleasant Court in Melbourne, where families are raising kids and neighbors are friendly. Multiple characters are introduced who tell parts of the story from their perspective. Each of the women is fighting her own kind of battle...some have secrets they are ashamed about and others are emotionally conflicted about their relationships. Each character is relatable, as is the cul-de-sac they live on. There are plenty of plot twists to keep the reader engaged from start to finish. The ending was perfect! I highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read more books by Sally Hepworth.

When a new neighbor (Isabelle) moves in, women (Essie, Ange, and Fran) discover that Pleasant Court might not be as pleasant as it seems. Who is harboring secrets, and why?

Ever since she was a child, Essie wanted to be a mother. But, now that she is, she wonders why everything is so difficult for her. Could she be suffering from postpartum depression? Perhaps. Now, fast forward a few years, add another baby, and she seems to be doing much better; or, is she?

And what about her Pleasant Court neighbors, Ange, Fran, and Isabelle? Are they all as perfect as they seem, or is each woman concealing a secret of her own? Find out in this amusing and intriguing book perfect for a day at the beach! I would recommend this one for fans of Big Little Lies.

Characters:
* Essie, husband Ben, daughters Mia and Polly, grandma Barbara
* Ange, husband Lucas, sons Will and Ollie
* Fran, husband Nigel, daughters Rosie and Ava
* Isabelle, new single neighbor, boyfriend Jules

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team for a free ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.

I loved The Things We Keep and was excited to read The Family Next Door. Though I didn't love this one as much, it was still a solid read from Sally Hepworth. The writing was excellent, the switching between character perspectives was clear and easy to understand right from the beginning, and the story flowed well. It was easy to keep turning the pages and a hard one to put down. As a result, I finished it in just a few days!

That being said, it was a bit too over dramatic/baby/housewife drama for my taste. I liked how the author tied everything together and wrapped it up at the end but I was so annoyed with all the characters with being so petty and nosy throughout the book. That made it a little hard to connect to the characters for me. This may be less of an issues for other readers, but the storyline just wasn't for me. If the plot summary sounds like something you like to read, I definitely think you'll like this book, as it is well written and hard to put down!

From my blog: Always With a Book:

I have really become a fan of Sally Hepworth and her novels, having loved her last two books. They have been emotionally poignant tales about families that really tug at your heartstrings. Well...hold on to you hats because while this one is certainly about families - it has a bit of a different feel to it. It's more of a suspenseful tale, with some drama added to it - and I loved it!!!

Right away, you become addicted to this book. It's told from multiple points of view and I think that helps make it not only engaging but it also adds to the suspense and drama. It's set in a small cul-de-sac where a new neighbor, Isabelle, has just moved it - but she doesn't quite fit the mold of the neighborhood and the ladies are definitely curious about her.

As we begin to get to know each of the ladies, one thing becomes crystal clear...each one of them has secrets they are hiding. These women may put up the facade that everything in their lives is picture perfect, but nothing can be further from the truth. And when you factor in the mystery that surrounds the new neighbor and what really has brought her to their neighborhood, your mind goes into overdrive trying to figure it all out.

I loved this book...I was consumed with it, not being able to think about anything else but these women, their families, and what really was going on. As each secret and back story was slowly revealed, I tried to figure out if it was part of why Isabelle is there. I tried to put it all together, but never got close to putting all the pieces together myself...this is so cleverly crafted. Nothing is as it seems and while it is suspenseful and full of drama, there still are those heart-tugging moments that Sally is known for. This is definitely a must-read book, in my opinion, and one that I would highly recommend!

Family comes in all shapes and sizes. The suspense and the twists are so surprising in this story! I thoroughly enjoyed this story and was completely caught off guard as I was going down one path while the story twisted onto another path! I loved ALL the characters and wanted the best for all these neighbors who became friends like family!

“Do you ever really know your neighbors?” This tagline from the cover of Sally Hepworth’s The Family Next Door is what initially drew me to this book and I think it very accurately sums up the overall premise of the story. No matter how long you’ve lived next door to someone, how well do you really know them? The Family Next Door’s answer to that question is quite simply: “Not nearly as much as you think you know.”

At its core, The Family Next Door is a book about secrets. Some secrets are, of course, more scandalous than others, but really – is there anyone out there who truly shares everything about themselves with everyone they meet? I know I sure don’t. And, let me tell you, any secrets I may be keeping to myself pale in comparison to those the ladies of Pleasant Court are each trying to keep under wraps. Boy, do these ladies have some dirty laundry!

First of all, especially after reading that tagline, I had to chuckle as soon as I saw that their neighborhood is called Pleasant Court. On the surface it sounds lovely, but it immediately made me think of Desperate Housewives and Wisteria Lane, which also sounded lovely and was a huge hotbed for secrets and scandals. Pleasant Court is a very family-oriented community. Most of the residents have been in Pleasant Court for years and are all raising young families. Main characters Essie, Fran, and Ange all fall into this category. Essie’s mother, Barbara, also lives there and she helps Essie out by babysitting her grandkids. The only character who doesn’t fit the typical mold of a Pleasant Court resident is the mysterious Isabelle, who is new to town, and who is also unmarried and has no children. It was almost comical to watch the “radars” of the Pleasant Court women perk up as soon as Isabelle moved in: Why would she move here? She doesn’t even have a family, etc. These ladies become thoroughly engrossed in trying to figure out the scoop on Isabelle. It was especially funny to me once I realized these ladies were the last people who should be casting stones and making judgements about someone they don’t even know.

That all sounds pretty vague, right? Well, since this is a book about secrets, there’s not much I can say about the plot without spoiling it. I think it makes for the best reading experience to go into The Family Next Door knowing as little as possible and letting the secrets these characters are hiding unfold naturally. Bottom line though: No one in Pleasant Court is as innocent as they would have you believe. Everyone, even Grandma Barbara, is lugging around a dirty secret or two!

Domestic dramas like The Family Next Door seem to be emerging as the latest trend in fiction and I have to say I enjoy these so much more than I enjoyed the unreliable/unlikeable narrator trend that books like Gone Girl started a few years ago. Even though I enjoy them, I have had one consistent complaint with so many of the recent domestic dramas I’ve read and that’s that even though the actual drama in the story is deliciously scandalous and makes for a great page turner, I usually don’t feel very invested in any of the characters. What made The Family Next Door head and shoulders over those books for me is that Hepworth actually made me care about the families in Pleasant Court.

She presents the story from the perspective of five very complicated female characters, but she fully fleshes out each character and infuses them with so much heart that even though each of them is clearly flawed, I still liked them and wanted them to be able to get past the deep, dark secrets that threatened to bury them. When each of the secrets were revealed, instead of just sitting there waiting to see whether or not the secrets destroyed lives, I was sitting there like “OMG! Damn girl, you need to fix this before it rips your family apart!”

In addition to giving me characters that I felt fully invested in, Hepworth also gave me everything else I love in a good domestic drama. The secrets were scandalous and juicy, the pacing was quick and even – no lulls at all, and Hepworth wove enough twists and turns in the storylines of each of these characters that I stayed equally interested in all five accounts all the way through the book. Even with so many characters to keep track of, there was no point along the way where I felt bored or distracted. I really wanted to know everything about all five of these characters and their secrets, and that need to know really kept me turning the pages. There were many characters and secrets to juggle, but Hepworth juggled them perfectly and crafted them into an incredibly well written and satisfying read. I easily breezed through the book in less than two days.

If you’re into stories that have a Desperate Housewives, Big Little Lies kind of vibe, I think this book would be a good fit for you. This was my first time reading a novel by Sally Hepworth but it definitely will not be my last!

Note: Also posted on BookBrowse.com, TheBookReporter.com, Reading is My Passion (Facebook group), Twitter, Edelweiss, Books-a-Million, Instagram & Litsy.

There sure is a lot of drama in the suburb of Pleasant Court. Fran, Ange, and Essie, all married with children, are all surface level friends. Everyone thinks the family next door is so perfect. Then Isabelle moves in – single, no children.

But behind closed doors, all have their secrets. Like Fran, who compulsively runs several times a day. She also is reluctant to leave baby Ava in the care of her husband Nigel. Ange must be in control of every part of her life, almost to the point of neurosis. The biggest secret is probably Essie’s when three years ago, she took her baby Mia to the park and returned without her. Fortunately nothing happened to Mia but after Essie’s psychotic break her mother Barbara moved next door to help look after Essie and Mia and now the new baby Polly.
Isabelle seems to be the catalyst that begins the unraveling of the carefully guarded secrets. As Essie and Isabelle develop an especially close bond, it becomes apparent that Isabelle had a specific reason for moving to Pleasant Court.

This book is a quick read and kept me turning the pages, eager to know what happens next. It was told from the viewpoints of all five ladies. It a story of female relationships, love, family, betrayal, and moving forward. But I was left with a sense of unfulfillment. (Is that a word?) I felt there were subplots thrown in to deliberately bring the women together but then that subplot went nowhere. I also felt that the ending was rushed and wrapped up a bit too neatly, although not as I had expected (surprise!). I still felt it was a quick, fun read. Good for an escape day. Relax on the lounge with some coffee/tea/wine and enjoy your visit to Pleasant Court.

I used to be massively addicted to the TV show Desperate Housewives, and The Family Next Door novel definitely has a fantastically similar vibe to the show! Not only that, but the novel strongly reminds me of Liane Moriarty's novel Big Little Lies, one of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors! That combo wasn't at all what I expected going into the book...but it is and in an AWESOME way! Sally Hepworth's newest novel is dramatic, emotional, entertaining, edgy, suspenseful, and super twisty, and I LOVED every addictive minute of it!  Ever since reading it, I've been asking myself why I had never read her books before since she's such a superbly talented author??!! She definitely has a new fan, and I'll be reading her other books very soon!

Hepworth's novel The Family Next Door is a fabulous, page-turning family drama that takes a realistic look at the secrets and lies among friends, neighbors, families, and lovers.  Hepworth delves right into the private lives of five women who live on Pleasant Court, an immaculate, small suburban neighborhood that seems to be the ideal place to live and raise a family. The houses are beautiful, the lawns well-manicured, all the neighbors are smiling and friendly, and the families appear to live perfect lives. It's a serene and lovely place that seems to live up to its name.  Yet, appearances are truly deceiving.  After all, how well do you really know your neighbors? How well do you really know anyone for that matter?

Hepworth weaves an extremely well-written, intricate tale with a compelling plot that will keep you bewitched right up until the last page. Essie, her mother Barbara, Fran, Ange, and newcomer Isabelle: these five women are the main players in the book, and they felt so real, so captivating that I felt like I was a part of the drama and their interpersonal relationships instead of just reading about it all!

The novel is told in turn by the POVs of each of the women, so we get to hear their deeply personal stories, secrets, worries, and fears about marriage, motherhood, relationships, and more.  Then there is a "secret" narrator who slowly unfolds a harrowing and suspenseful story that ties in beautifully with the other narrations. I found myself relating and deeply empathizing with Essie, who suffered from severe postpartum depression after the birth of her first child and is barely holding it together after the birth of her second daughter since I also suffered from postpartum depression after the birth of my last two children. Honestly, I thought the storyline was going to be about that, but the plot takes a twist in a completely different way that I did not see coming at all! It was a very thought-provoking story about real, complicated issues that actually do go on behind closed doors, and it's very realism is one reason why this story is so IMMENSELY enjoyable!

I cannot recommend The Family Next Door highly enough and think this is a must read!  What an engrossing, fun, suspenseful, riveting treat! I'll be anxiously waiting for Hepworth's upcoming books! 

**Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sally Hepworth for an ARC copy in exchange for my fair and honest review.**

I cannot say enough about this compelling drama that goes on! It will have you on the edge of your seat. You would never guess these suburban families on this quiet culdesac could have such deep secrets within each of them. From one family to the next comes just as much suspense and mystery as the family next door. Such a page turner that keeps you guessing til the very end! Highly recommend!!! You will not be disappointed!

I loved this book! ‘The Family Next Door’ is the story of three families and one new neighbor living on the cul de sac of Pleasant Court. Appearances are not always as they seem and everyone is going through their own torture behind closed doors.
I really enjoyed Sally Hepworth’s writing style and the way she built suspense in the novel. I could not put it down. It is a true page turner. I think this book will be popular with fans of Liane Moriarty.
I received an advance review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

It took me a while to get all the characters straight, but this book was worth sticking with Just when you think you have the plot figured out, there is another twist. Great stories from the viewpoint of various women who all live in the small suburb of Pleasant Court. Secrets have a way of shaking up their lives as they deal with infidelity, post-partum depression and child abduction. Pleasant Court may not be such a pleasant place after all!