A story that revolves around upper class families living together in a neighborhood cul de sac. The families get together often, but their relationships are on a superficial level until one couple adopts a Russian orphan and things are never the same again. Truths come out and relationships are severed forever.

I was intrigued with this book and it kept my interest until the very last page. Do you every really know your neighbors?

The characters were well-defined and believable, and the descriptions were good. This was a fairly enjoyable read and yet I had the sense something was missing. Maybe I was expecting the "secrets" referred to in the advertising blurb to be different or more. The treatment of Winnie by Paige was horrifying and yet we never really knew how much truth there was to Paige's explanations. Nicolle alluded to secrets in her past but other than having an absentee father and messed up mother and sister, there was nothing shocking.

This book made me glad I've always been friendly with my neighbors - - but not TOO friendly! I'm sure close neighborhood relationships work out for some people but clearly from this book, not for everyone!

3.75 stars

So many books about neighbours... I supposed neighbours are ripe for stories about whether you really know people. Your neighbours are always smiling and seem perfect, but what’s really happening behind closed doors? Or a few odd behaviours make you suspect that your neighbours are hiding some deep dark secrets...

Good Neighbors is another addition to the pile of neighbour novels. Four families foisted together through proximity — rather than affinity — form uneasy friendships. One of the families adopts a preschool aged girl from Russia. The story is told from Nicole’s perspective, who is one of the adoptive family's neighbours. Nicole and the other neighbours become obsessed with figuring out whether the adopted daughter is being treated properly. Something is not right, but it's not clear whether the adoptive daughter has behaviour issues or whether the adoptive parents are falling off the rails. All the while, Nicole herself is not a perfect parent. But who is?

I liked Good Neighbours because of Serling’s writing and Nicole’s perspective. Serling really plays with what is seen, not seen, and the complex play between respect for privacy and responsibility for others. This isn’t a mystery or a thriller, and it doesn’t get resolved perfectly — which is a nice change from some of the other neighbour books -- and which might explain the relatively low ratings. Rather, I would describe it as a slow boil drama. And I really liked the very last line -- but you can't skip ahead because it won't make sense unless you read the whole book.

Not quite 4 stars because there was a subplot with Nicole's mother and sister that didn't anything.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an advance copy.

The exploration of adopting a child and the issues that may come with and how it affects the lives of those who adopted directly as well as the lives of those whose lives intersect with theirs. There are subplots within the book of dealing with others with alcohol issues and juggling all these issues at one time and how nothing is ever how it seems on the outside. The plot starts out slow but does pick up about half way into the book and there are lots of things happening all at once that if you have a hard time focusing when you are reading then you might get lost. The characters are definitely well-written and are people that you probably have come into contact with at one point in your life or have heard about. The theme of neighbors helping one another ir present but also countered by letting you into the real thoughts and feelings of those neighbors.

I read the Good Neighbors by Joanne Serling in three sittings over two days; it was a quick and rather enjoyable read. I would rate this book as a 3.75 and using math rounded up to a 4 star rating. :) The blurb caught my attention as neighborhood secrets seem to be a popular theme for 2018 reading.

Good Neighbors is about four families who live in an upscale neighborhood on the nicest street in Fair Lawn. These four families become friends because they live in the same neighborhood and bond over having children all of the same age. Over the years they develop their own traditions and gatherings with each other and pride themselves on being “like family” people who are close by who you can depend on.

One of the families, the Edwards, makes an announcement at a get together that they have decided to adopt a four year old girl from Russia. This news takes the women on the street by surprise and they all seem to have different reactions to the news.

The book is narrated by Nicole Westerhof a stay at home mother of two school aged boys over a two year period. Nicole is very excited about the idea of a little girl living across the street and has ideas of bonding with the child and being like an aunt to her since she wishes she had her own daughter. In my opinion Nicole is a bit of a busy body jumping from one conclusion to the next when she begins to suspect that something just isn’t right with the family across the street regarding their reception of their new adoptive daughter. Are the Edwards abusing their new daughter or is she a troubled girl who is having difficulty adjusting as Paige and Gene Edwards suggest as every opportunity.

I thought the Good Neighbors was an interesting and enjoyable read; with an ending I did not see coming. I was engaged throughout determined to get answers on whether the adopted child from Russia was a difficult girl or being abused by her adoptive parents. I will definitely pick up a copy of whatever Joanne Serling puts out next.

***Thank you Twelve and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.
****Will update on February 6, 2018 when I can post my review to Amazon.

What happens when close neighbors begin to have doubts and suspicions about each other? The adoption of a young Russian girl creates questions among friends, leading to cracks in a number of relationships. Nice read with lots of twists and turns.

A great book for light readers, it was funny and very contemporary.

This book was not what I expected it to be. It was easy to read and had some very interesting relationships between the neighbors. It is told by one of the neighbors Nicole and it dives into her feelings as a mother, daughter, sister, wife and also a neighbor/friend. After reading this it will make me think twice about becoming too friendly with any of my immediate neighbors. They are quite a bunch of different personalities that while trying to be the friends they would like to be can't put aside their competitive nature and petty feelings towards each other. I did like reading about Nicole's inner struggles and how she fought with herself to do the right thing.

I really tried to enjoy this book but i could not fully get into it. I felt this book was kind of all over the place and i got all confused. It also did not hold my interest nor was i surprised but factors in which i felt should of been and OMG my moment.

I really enjoyed this book which I got as an advance copy from NetGalley. The narrative style of incomplete sentences was very effective to make the reader feel in the moment. The story was compelling and introduced the interesting question of to what extent should one interfere in their neighbors' lives. I didn't totally understand the back story of the narrator's own family, and I wish that had been developed more.

This is a twisting tale of neighbourly relationships which plays on the insecurity that we can never really know what goes on behind closed doors. An excellent debut, thanks NetGalley!

Wow! This book had me so anxious you would think it was about my own neighbors! I definitely related to some of the characters and found myself telling them what they should be doing. The story lines were very thought provoking. I think this book would be great for a bookclub discussion

Good Neighbors
Joanie Serling
Available: February 6, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I’m blessed to live on a cul-de-sac and have terrific neighbors. We’re close – but not too close; just the perfect amount. We’ve had our easter egg hunts, bbqs, block parties, and threw parties in the street just because. The kids are older now so the events that we’re all together are fewer but I think we all seem to appreciate them more that way. Our neighborhood seems to be the opposite of Nicole’s but I think we’re a lot happier.
What I loved: There wasn’t much to love – this book wanted to be suspenseful (what’s going on with Winnie? Is she evil?) but wasn’t. Maybe it wanted to be about friendship – but that fell short. It could have been about her loving marriage – but her husband wasn’t ever really around and when Jay was, Nicole only had more indignant thoughts.
What I didn’t love: I could start with the phrase “I had to let go of my daily housekeeper..” Seriously? Or that Nicole had to use an overabundance of exclamation points whenever she had an indignant thought (basically every other idea). Nicole seemed to only be concerned with outward appearances; having people look at her with envy because she had the “right” life seemed to be a preoccupation that took over her life. While it seemed that stemmed from her childhood with her alcoholic sister – that situation is so rarely mentioned it seems pointless.
What I learned: Adoptive rehoming is a thing?
Overall Grade: C

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I really enjoyed this book. Excellent storyline and great main characters. I would recommend this book.

Wow, what a fun, but meaningful book. I also say light hearted, but the end blows you away. Didn't see the ending at all.