This book explores a LOT of things at once, but somehow manages to do it all well. The ending was wonderful and I highly recommend!

Let me state first and foremost that I was extremely unprepared for the last third of this book, going off the book blurbs and summaries. So be warned this takes a VERY dark turn and then somehow and even darker turn. I’m not sure how to properly review it without spoiling those turns, but just know this isn’t simply a book about star crossed lovers with some light racism elements. This is ruined lives, deaths, extreme tragedy. I was sobbing at the end.

That said, this book is incredibly wonderful and powerful. It takes a very close look at what exactly being in the good ol boys club can get you, what kind of power that brings. It’s incredibly realistic and unfortunately that realism means it doesn’t have a happy ending. That’s all I can say without major spoilers.

A better title would have been A Neighborhood of Cliches. Ugh. Where to start? First, if I can see where the plot is headed, it’s not a good thing since I’m not good at that. Second, the main characters are caricatures. One is a stepfather to a beautiful teenage girl. Uh oh. His wife is no longer interested in sex because she is so busy with the kids and decorating the house and exercising. Uh oh. The neighbor behind them is a tree hugging liberal who had a chip on her shoulder against whites. Uh oh. Her son is biracial and plays classical music on his guitar. He thinks no one knows what classical music is. What? I admit I couldn’t finish reading the book but I did read the last 3 chapters. Well. I did want to know how it ended. So that’s good, right? O

I wanted to love this book but sadly it fell flat for me. I had a hard time connecting with the storyline.

I continue to struggle with this author’s voice. I think this book is an ambitious attempt that doesn’t fully stick the landing.

What a courageous and empowering read, a must for all humanity. The point of view of the story being told by outsiders was clever and powerful, this book will suck you in and stay with you deeply.

The hype is real; I adored this book! I loved teaching Romeo and Juliet to high school freshmen, and even though it's unrealistic for today's audience, I still think my students appreciated the star-crossed, doomed lover themes. But this modern novel has so many poignant moments that I had to wait a few days to process my thoughts. So many ideas in this politically-charged climate: racism, activism, purity, entitlement, revenge, and suicide--to name just a few! Told from multiple perspectives, the book has heart-wrenching scenes that may tear your heart out of your chest. I loved these characters as well as the writing; the novel will resonate with me for long after it's been read.

This book was thought provoking and heartfelt. It makes you stop and think about several different issues and situations and how different actions and decisions can railroad entire lives.

I found this book compulsively readable and, at times, physically painful. Told from the perspective of an unnamed, semi-omniscent neighbor, the reader gets a sense of tension and dread from the first page. Even without this unique voice, the pacing of the novel is exceptional, and keeps you turning pages to find out what's next. Thoroughly enjoyed & recommended.

Valerie is a professor of forestry with a teenage son Xavier living next door to Brad Whitman and his wife Julia and her teenage daughter Juniper, who just moved into a new home with a pool. However, Valerie finds her old oak tree dying because the new pool was built too close to the edge of her property, so she sues the builder and Brad. Meanwhile, Xavier and Juniper begin more than a friendship. Brad catches the teenagers having sex in a cabin, and calls the police, charging Xavier with raping his stepdaughter. Valerie hires a lawyer for her son and he gets out on bail. Then, Brad says he will get the charges dropped if Valerie drops her suit...

Somewhere between 2 and 3 stars. I'm having a hard time deciding what to give this book. 17-year old Juniper and her family move in next door to 18-year old Xavier and his mother. This is a nice North Carolina neighborhood where everyone gets along and have lived together for many years. Juniper's family just built a million dollar home, while the rest of the neighborhood is established and more conservative. What ensues is an interesting story that asks the questions: What makes a good neighbor, are Christian ideals still relevant in our day, is prejudice still rampant in the United States, and how fair is our legal/justice system?

I had a really hard time getting into this book. The first 3/4 was pretty forgettable for me. I understand the need for character development, but the author took too long. It was pretty forgettable and I never felt compelled to keep reading. The last quarter of the book definitely got me thinking about how our society still doesn't understand that color does not matter- and all people of every nationality/race need to recognize it. It's an unfortunate story for sure. I felt she was kind of bashing organized religion, which I didn't appreciate, but I also recognize many people are struggling with it nowadays.

Didn't love it, but didn't hate it.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC for my honest opinion.

An absolutely great read that pulled me into the story on page 1 and made me care about the events of this neighborhood. As Therese Fowler introduced us to Oak Knoll, she set a story of how a community influences the lives of the families living there. This community seemed safe and accepting at first glance but once a disagreement among neighbors is introduced, we find that all is not as it seems. This story could have been set in any community with the same results. That is the core story. Reading A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD is a must, BUT, make sure you plan on an all nightery, because once you start, you will not want to stop.

The neighborhood of Oak Knolls is a friendly place where monthly book clubs are held at Valerie's home and neighbors look out for each other. Now some of the older homes are being razed and replaced with mansions. Valerie is an ecologist and when her oak tree is dying she decides to sue her new neighbors, Brad Whitman, his wife, Julia, and the builder she feels is responsible. Brad is a local celebrity due to his TV commercials for Whitman HVAC and Valerie is a widowed black woman raising her biracial son.

Brad's stepdaughter, Juniper, takes a purity promise when she is 14 and is being taught to be obedient and submissive to her husband and only motherhood is the ultimate achievement. She develops an attraction to Valerie's son, Xavier.

A lot of topics are brought up in the story, mixed race marriage, raising a biracial son alone who even though he is half white is considered black, how the legal systems treats black men, Christian values, and how the rich feel they are different.

The characters were fleshed out really well and I didn't like Brad or Valerie very much. Even though they seem to be different I thought they were a lot a like in the way they tried to manipulate situations. Juniper and Xavier were good kids with helicopter parents and seemed like victims of the parents.

The book is written from the point of view of a narrator who, in my mind, sounds like Rod Serling. He points out how actions can be perceived differently than what was intended and how some of the characters are motivated to do what they do.

Meh. It was slow to me. I kept with it and glad I did, but would like to see more .... I dont know, feeling? Some of the ancillary fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for gifting me with an ARC of Therese Anne Fowler’s contemporary drama, A Good Neighborhood. In exchange for the ARC I offer my unbiased review.

Last year I had the privilege of reading an advanced copy of A Well Behaved Woman by Therese Ann Fowler which I really enjoyed, so I was excited to receive a copy of her newest work, A Good Neighborhood. This story did not disappoint and it was actually much darker then I anticipated. Brad and Julia Whitman are living the American Dream, with their mini McMansion, manicured lawns and Maserati sports car in the spacious circular paved driveway. Their neighbor Valerie Alston-Holt couldn’t be more different than the upscale Whitman’s. Val, a single mom is a professor of forestry and her interests are more about protecting the earth, and caring for the trees and planet. Watching the builders destroy acres of greenery just to construct a giant white monstrosity next door to her has left her sullen. When her favorite tree, a 100 year old Oak starts to show signs of distress, Val can’t help but feel her new neighbors, The Whitman’s are to blame. And adding fuel to the fire, Val’s only child 18 year old Xavier is secretly dating the Whitman’s daughter, Juniper. When Val decides to take legal action against The Whitman’s she sets off a string of events that nobody could ever foretell.
This book tackles lots of hot button topics and I think Fowler handles them all well. This book is perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty, Tayari Jones and Celeste Ng.

Wow! I enjoyed and really recommend this book,, I got close to the people and I mean everyone, then I started thinking oh no this is not going to go well because this person,,,and this person...may have problems to come out. So then I started really reading and not able to put down this book. Everyone became somebody that I liked and I didn't want anything bad to happen. You have to read this book. Thank you Netgalley and I am looking up this author for more of her books.

Very disturbing, the book upset me greatly. I found myself skimming through it just to finish. Would not recommend.

Wow! Where to start with this book.... I thought it was well written and easy to read. The author develops each character so that you can easily picture each one and feel like you know them. This is a book that stays with you; you will remember it long after you finish it. I don't want to give away any spoilers but just know the storyline gets very emotional.

A Good Neighborhood built slowly and then exploded into a deeply affecting, emotional story. What seemed to be a tale of a disagreement between neighbors revealed itself to be a book about racism, class, and power. It's been two days since I finished it and yet I'm still thinking of the characters and what they went through.

A timely story, told simply and beautifully. I’ve been a fan of Fowler’s since her first book. Though this one has a different feeling than her other work, it’s just as compelling, just as well done. Almost a five.