Just when we think that racism has come to an end a book like this one dispels that’s notion. A seemingly story of young love became entangled in bigotry and hate. Perhaps a modern day Romeo and Juliet.?

All I need to see was that people who enjoyed Ask Again Yes would love A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler and I was interested. I like books where I can get fully invested in the characters and this book offers that. Forget everything and let yourself lose track of time while reading, thats my favorite.

Here’s what you need to know about this book (which isn’t out until 2020 and already generating buzz!)

In Oak Knoll, a verdant, tight-knit North Carolina neighborhood, professor of forestry and ecology Valerie Alston-Holt is raising her bright and talented biracial son. Xavier is headed to college in the fall, and after years of single parenting, Valerie is facing the prospect of an empty nest. All is well until the Whitmans move in next door―an apparently traditional family with new money, ambition, and a secretly troubled teenaged daughter.

Thanks to his thriving local business, Brad Whitman is something of a celebrity around town, and he’s made a small fortune on his customer service and charm, while his wife, Julia, escaped her trailer park upbringing for the security of marriage and homemaking. Their new house is more than she ever imagined for herself, and who wouldn’t want to live in Oak Knoll? With little in common except a property line, these two very different families quickly find themselves at odds: first, over an historic oak tree in Valerie’s yard, and soon after, the blossoming romance between their two teenagers.

Told from multiple points of view, A Good Neighborhood asks big questions about life in America today―What does it mean to be a good neighbor? How do we live alongside each other when we don’t see eye to eye?―as it explores the effects of class, race, and heartrending star-crossed love in a story that’s as provocative as it is powerful.

This book will be out on Feb. 4, 2020. Pre-order here.

I wanted to like this book, I really did. This is the first book by this author I have read. I found it more “meh” than what it promised. A new family builds a home and moves in next door to an established neighbor with an older home; the builder damages the roots of a beautiful old tree in her yard, and things go downhill fast. Early on it is implied something sinister will happen later on. I found the main character very preachy and whiny. I felt beaten over the head with her activities. I get it, she is passionate about her causes, yet they felt shoved down my throat. I read for enjoyment, not a lecture. The new neighbor and his family were so stereotyped it felt offensive. I didn’t care for the narration style, switching from narrator to joining the chorus of neighborhood voices. That felt awkward and I don’t think it went over well from a reader’s POV. This book had potential to be a great read, but I think the author tried so hard to be PC it fell flat. Out of all the characters, the son was the only one I found likable. There was no resolution, no happy ending. Overall a rather depressing read. I will try another book from this author to compare, as she seems to be very well liked. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Romeo and Juliet, meet Xavier and Juniper. A Good Neighborhood was a good book. Told in that addicting, page turning style reminiscent of Big Little Lies, Fowler paints a believable picture of two families in suburban North Carolina. As Xavier and Juniper’s story unfolds we also learn about their families, and of course, the tree that divides not only their property line but also their friendship. The story is narrated by “the neighbors” who give teasers throughout the story of the outcome of the story.
The themes were heavy and timely but I have to admit felt a little forced in some ways. I have mixed feelings about the ending but any book that gets me thinking is a good book so I won’t complain! Overall, I recommend for a thought provoking and interesting read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I very much enjoyed the first 75% of this story; I liked most of the characters, each of which was well-drawn, and the plot seemed to be coming together for some complex climax and perhaps reassessment of attitudes. In the end, however, the final 25% was very dramatic and far less nuanced. I found it difficult to read and ended up skimming the last few chapters as they were so unbearable. I was hoping for something far subtler.

It's funny that being from North Carolina, I didn't begin reading this book and thinking it was set in my home state. I thought the book was overall really great and I enjoyed reading it but I wasn't fawning over it the way I had an anticipated. I would probably suggest this book due to the way that the author really put her thought into curating an authentic perspective and reality depending on the races of the characters.

Oh my gosh this book is so wonderful. It's beautifully written and the characters are so real. The story is well rounded and SO SAD. I will be recommending this book for lots of people to read and if I taught high school I would recommend it for students too.

This storyline is a real departure from Fowler's usual historical novels, but I think she has come up with a winner that could be adapted for one of Reese Witherspoon's movies. Book clubs will have a lot to discuss with the issues that are brought up in fast reading prose. The neighborhood was at peace with Valerie, a college professor of forestry and ecology devoting much time to her trees and outdoor plants. This single parent had a biracial son who was competent, mature and a senior in high school. Everything was smooth until the Whitmans moved in behind their property and tore all the trees down damaging the roots of her favorite oak tree, to put in a big swimming pool. He was the caricature of the swaggering successful business man who loved to emphasize his success with material goods. He also had a beautiful stepdaughter that had taken a viginity pledge until marriage. The story is told from the neighbors' perspective as if they are hovering over the scene, gossiping and commenting on the unraveling of events. Ugliness transpires, with lawsuits, violence, an unjust legal system, and an unwillingness to be colorblind. It is very much a reflection of today's America. May this book be another catalyst for frank discussion.

I very much enjoyed this book. It was filled with thought-provoking themes involving class, race, religion, ecology. In fact, I had trouble falling asleep after finishing and I found myself running the various themes through my head again. Perhaps that’s the point, or perhaps an unexpected bonus of this story.

A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD both informs and entertains (at points I was gripping my book so hard) and it's one I recommend.

Love a book with a strong first sentence that pulls you in like a magnet and doesn't let go. Another reviewer said it best when she said it was a good easy story to read with lots of complex topics. I enjoyed the writing style and the interruptions by the narrator; it felt like the narrator opened a window into the story and it was interesting to hear details of the characters and plot through that different lens. The author handled the race issues well and created suspense although I must say somethings were obvious. Overall a really well done novel that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for an honest and fair review.

This was like a train wreck that you could not look away from. The author was able to build suspense with very little story telling.
I struggled with this book because of the different narratives.
One of them was like a Rod Sterling from the Twilight Zone...where you would get a narrator but you had no idea who it was, their objective, and really why they were the ones to move the story forward.
Is the story a love story? A conflict resolution story?
It was really unclear where the story was going and why.....
The ending was NOT shocking but really?! How stereotypical that the only way out was the way of the ending.

OVerall it was a good read, but I am on the fence on whether or not this is a must read or even a good book to read.

This was a very well written novel about a very difficult topic. Race relations in this day and age are fraught with so much conflict that any reader is going to approach the story with their own set of intentions. I was no exception and I am struggling with the characters and their choices and if this is indeed an accuracy reflection of life in N.C. in 2019. Juniper did not seem to be a realistic portrayal of a 17-year-old woman in today’s society and her quick reversal of long-held beliefs defied the characterization that was built for her.

Very well written book with an interesting plot. I could vividly picture the characters. I actually had to take a break from reading it for a bit because I was getting too emotionally invested in it and feeling anxious. That's hard to do nowadays so kudos to the author.

Strange and awkward. The story could’ve developed into so many other, more appealing directions. I think that there are some attempts to make societal statements, but everything felt a bit disjointed.

This book was a a perpetual page turner and I loved it.

The story is heartbreaking and has a devastating ending. This story is plausible and well written with a protagonist who kept me on the edge of my seat.

Thank to netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this galley.

Absolutely not. I cannot read books about incest. You don't get the inkling of what's going on until about 25% through but once I knew it was going to be a plot point I stopped reading. I did like the multiple perspective relationships, but I can't get past that particular theme. Hard no for me on this one.

Wow! What a read. Brad, a self-made millionaire builds a home in the neighborhood Oak Knoll. Brad and his family move into their palatial home next to their neighbor who is an ecologist and college professor. It just so happens Brad and his family are white, and his neighbor is a black woman. Her son, Xavier's father was a white man.

Xavier and Whitman's oldest daughter Juniper, both in high school nare attracted to each other. They secretly date. Then one day an explosive incident changes everything. No one's life will be the same.

This story is told through the collective voice of the neighbors. It explores racism, climate change, and family dynamics. These characters and the story will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a book that I couldn't put down until the last word was read. This is a community that deals with many issues. I loved how the narrator keyed you into to certain details, questions to consider and what to look for next. The protagonist, Valerie, loves the old oak tree in her backyard that has many heartfelt memories for her and her family. When new neighbors move in and encroach on the roots of the tree, all hell breaks loose. I loved the story of her son Xavier and his relationship with the neighbors daughter. The ending was a shock to me.

Rarely does a book make such an impact on me physically. This tale of young love, racism and white privilege made me physically ill and will stay with me for a very long time.

A Good Neighborhood is provocative and compelling-likely to be one of the most talked about books of 2020. And there's a lot to discuss-depending on what side of the fence you're on (or in the case of A Good Neighborhood what side of the Oak tree at the center of the story), you'll be shaking your head in disbelief, or nodding at the sad reality contained in its pages. Therese Fowler is mostly known for historical fiction, but here she tackles the timely topics of race relations, social injustice, and the growing disparity between "the haves" and "have nots" (although if there's any complaint with A Good Neighborhood it's that Ms. Fowler tries too hard to avoid stereotypes with her characters). But the lesson of A Good Neighborhood transcends every demographic-even if you work hard and do all the right things so you can live in a "good" neighborhood, that doesn't mean nothing bad is going to happen.