Not quite what I expected, but a great read.

Ginny was a bit annoying at times, when you think she could have just had a conversation and saved herself a lot of heartache. Cassie was a fun character, and you feel sorry for her.

Looking forward to reading more from this author.

I really enjoyed this book because it was raw, real and honest and not what I expected from this book at all. It took me awhile to read because I was reading other novels but once I got further into the story, I had to complete it. Other readers need to give this a chance because it was not just a vacation book; I think other readers will identify with Ginny's story.

Nice feel good book. It flowed very well. was easy to read. Nice characters. Good storyline. What’s not to love.

Overall, not a bad story, and enjoyed it for the most part. A story of Ginny and Cassie, two neighbours who formed an unusual friendship, that helped each other through issue of love, life and work. Must admit I got tired of the obsession with the biological clock, and skimmed a bit at times as well. Overall though, I enjoyed it and would recommend.

The Neighbours is the story of Ginny and Cassie, next door neighbours who couldn't be more different, but gradually become best friends. If I'm honest, I found the start of this book a little too slow. However, it does pick up around the 25% mark, and after that a lot more starts to happen. Overall, I thought this was an interestsing exploration of an unlikely friendship, as well as a number of other issues, such as trying for a baby, family, and relationships. Not my favourite, but a pretty good read, and I would recommend it to people I know like this sort of genre.

The synopses was not kidding regarding the exploration of life, because it indeed explores a lot and from two very different perspectives, which was a nice touch.

Although it had a slow beginning, this book gradually grew on me and made me feel very invested in the story.
I was able to relate to Ginny's character in so many times, she was the typical female in her mid thirties, whose life was crumbling and who didn't know what to do to get out off that situation. She allowed her insecurities to get the best of her and she was scared of taking big steps. I can totally understand that, there are some periods in life when you think that you are not good for anything and you allow your fears and angst to take over. However, when you understand that your success depends exclusively on you, things will fall into place and that's what I saw here. Even though a bit slow and with lots of bumps on the way, it was really nice to see how much character growth Ginny showed to us.

Cassie was a gem hahahah. I loved her so much and from time to time, I would catch myself comparing specific parts of this plot to the story of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, a book that became one of my favorites this year. I appreciated Cassie's personality so much, she was always giving us the vibe "I don't care about shit" in the most hilarious moments. Of course that, the more her story got developed, the more we understood that she wanted to have that thick skin to avoid getting hurt.

Their interaction was fantastic. We had Ginny, who was always loving, sweet and caring, wishing to look after Cassie and helping her navigate this new journey of her non existing career. And on the other side we had Cassie, who always had witty comebacks and who wasn't having any bullshit from anyone, including Ginny. Two different personalities that clicked so well. I have to admit that there were times when I felt envious of their relationship.

The reason my rating was not that high... *POTENTIAL SPOILER*
...it's because I hated so much Ginny's journey regarding babies. OMG, WOULD YOU STOP? All those internal conversations, all that nagging to friends and family of how old she felt, that when she reached 35 her eggs would be rotten, that only babies would make her life happy and stuff, ARRRRGGHHHHH... GO LIVE YOUR LIFE WOMAN!!! I know you wanted to have kids and that you were willing to do stupid things for that, but if it's not happening via natural ways, try some others. AND YOU CAN ALWAYS ADOPT!!!
That really got on my nerves and in many times I wanted to DNT this book because of it!

To sum it up, if you don't mind the baby thing and really want to get to know more about Ginny and Cassie's friendship, I totally recommend this book for you.

Ginny and Cassie are neighbours who become unlikely friends. Ginny works in PR until she catches her boyfriend cheating on her with her boss (awkward!). Cassie is a has-been actress who gets edited as the villain in the most recent season of I'm A Celebrity. Ginny desperately needs a job. So why not help the diva downstairs clean up her public image a bit? And thus begins a beautiful friendship.

And it is a beautiful friendship. There's an age difference of about 20 years, which would make it easy to slide into a more mother-daughter kind of thing, but it never does. They are friends who have a profound impact on each other's lives, even if they don't always notice it themselves.

It started of as a slow read for me, but at about 25% of the way in I really got into the story and I desperately wanted to know where these two women would end up. I wasn't expecting this to go quite as dark as it did, but it handled the darkness beautifully.

Obviously there's a romance element in this, since it deals with a newly single thirty-something woman, but romance is never the main focus. The core element of the story is friendship, not just between Ginny and Cassie, and not just the "pretty" parts of friendships. Ginny sees all her friends move on in their lives and feels jealous at times because why can't the engagement/wedding/baby/new house be hers for a change? Which makes it a realistic portrayal of a woman in her thirties. There are some bad choices, a few lucky breaks, the realisation that parents are also flawed people, and one gigantic assumption based on very little information. That assumption bumps this down from a 4-star to a 3-star read for me. Miscommunication is one thing, but in this case there's just no communication at all. Ginny just assumes she knows what her boyfriend's thinking and therefore never has an actual conversation with him.

I was not a fan of this book. I just didn't mesh with the writing style. You can't win them all though......

Read in one sitting, I enjoyed this quick read very much. Loved the characters and the undemanding style of this talented writer. Will be looking out for more from Nicola Gill.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

The Neighbours by Nicola Gill an unlikely four-star read. This is my first by this author and I hope it won’t be the last, it’s a story about unlikely friends who start as neighbours. This was well paced and had good characters, but it did feel overly long in places, most of the descriptive language used worked well, but a couple of times it felt overdone. The issues raised are done well and not some that you usually find in a novel of this genre. Ginny and Cassie are very different people in life, but as life shows just because you may not appear different on the surface, sometimes similarities run so much deeper.

Such a lovely romcom! Full of charm and humour, along with many heartfelt moments and triumphs.
I thoroughly enjoyed Ginny's journey from a life turned upside down, trials and error along the way, and the delightful ending. Though, I was left wanting more, there is closure. I just wished we got a bit a more.
I appreciate the author including mental health in this story. I struggle with depression, and it just goes to show, even when you feel alone, you aren't. And even people with money, who seem strong and unabashed, and have not a need in the world also suffer from mental illness. Mental illness does not discriminate.
All in all, I really enjoyed this novel. I did find the writing style a bit off. It just wasn't for me, but that's personal preference. The characters were extremely well developed and the story full and captivating. I feel like the story ended too soon, too abruptly for the depth of the story, but that just might be me being greedy. Haha. That said, I absolutely recommend!

Thank you Netgalley, Avon Books, and Nicola Gill for this advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A warm, light read full of wit and humour. I enjoyed this story and simply ploughed through it. The perfect way to fill a Sunday afternoon.

I know this isn't my usual genre, but there was just something about this title that spoke to me and I couldn't resist requesting a copy. My instincts turned out to be right, because I ended up really enjoying my time with this story. If you are looking for a poignant and entertaining romcom with that Bridget Jones vibe, The Neighbours should definitely be on your 2020 wishlist.

It's a superfast read and has both funny and more serious moments incorporated into the plot. Oh yes, it's not all roses and sunshine in The Neighbours as more heavy themes as depression, suicide and cheating are incorporated into the plot. It was interesting to see how the author used these elements in her story and then balanced them with lighter moments and a dose of humor here and there. The plot itself might involve some cliches, but there is no doubt that it makes for an engaging read and fans of the genre will be more than pleased. The writing definitely makes you turn those pages fast enough, and I literally finished The Neighbours in one sitting. Whether you are looking for your next beach read or something to make you forget about the cold winter weather, this story will do the trick.

That said, I did have mixed thoughts about the main characters. It's true that Ginny and Cassie make a very unlikely pair, and I did have a great time following their story and see their relationship grow. Cassie's character is fascinating, with her being an older actress who is no longer as famous as she used to be... I liked her sass and 'I don't give a damn' attitude and it was interesting to see other aspects of her personality developed as well. Ginny is an interesting character as well, although I did have issues with some of her character traits and decisions. Especially those relationship related and how she handles things in general... The whole love triangle vibe I could have done without as well, but those are only minor complaints for what is otherwise a very entertaining read.

In short, if you are looking for a fast, engaging, funny and sometimes poignant and heartbreaking romcom, this story is without doubt a great choice! I'm having the feeling fans of the genre will love this book.

A lighthearted romantic tale of a girl rebuilding her life following a breakup. Ginny walks in on her boyfriend in bed with her boss, losing her man and her job in one go. This book made me laugh and root for Ginny to get back up and find love again. The author also deals sensitively with the subject of depression, bringing some depth to what could be a typical bit of chick lit. Worth a read!

I really enjoyed reading The Neighbours. It had a great mix of realism and escapism; it was good to read a real representation of mental ill heath alongside real friendship with a good splash of romance. It left me feeling uplifted and I loved Ginny’s journey from the beginning to who she was by the end.

4 stars.

You look at the title and think it’s probably a thriller, because there seems to be a trend these days when it comes to thrillers — there’s either a girl somewhere, a wife somewhere, or a neighbour somewhere.

But nope, this is a book about two neighbours who live in the same building. It’s a story about the unlikely friendship they form, and how they help each other grow as individuals. Clinical depression is dealt with beautifully in Nicola Gill’s debut novel, as one of the characters undergoes a massive spell. The rock solid friendship formed between two women, with an age gap of twenty years, is the crux of the story.

One of the neighbours is Ginny, a woman who tries to put her life back together from one of festering mediocrity — she’s at a dead end job and the only thing she relies on is that she has a boyfriend whom she’s serious with — until she catches said boyfriend cheating on her with her boss. (Yikes!) She’s paranoid about her biological clock, thanks to excessive conditioning by the media, and is afraid of being alone in life — a fear that most human beings share.

The other half of the titular duo is Cassie — a small time actress who’s under media fire for a ton of things she says and does. She’s in her fifties, and is unapologetic about what she says in a time when it’s necessary to be PC all the time. She’s not racist or homophobic — in fact she’s vocal about speaking out against discrimination in real life — but somehow lands with her foot in her mouth, which is always recorded for posterity by the paparazzi. The second half of the story focuses on how she gets back on her feet as she struggles with depression, her friendship with Ginny being the rock that is instrumental in her recovery.

The story is narrated in a very lighthearted manner from Ginny’s point of view, but it never trivialises any of the issues that either of the main characters face. It doesn’t try to be unnecessarily humorous, but there’s an underlying sense of wit, that shines through at the right moments.

The story does feature romance, but it never delves into it. Things happen as they happen, and the primary focus is only on the characters’ professional lives and their personal development. It passes the Bechdel’s test with flying colours — and it that sense, I’d call it feminist. The right term for this novel would be “women’s literature”, not to be confused with the stereotyped category of “chick lit”.

The only qualms I had with this book is that it could have been shorter. While the first 40% of the book and the last 30% were engaging, the first few chapters especially so, the story kind of idled in the middle. I read this in four days flat despite a heavy workload — I couldn’t stop reading, but a lot of the middle could have been edited to be crisper. The descriptions were excessive at times, though at others, that was the backbone for some lighthearted humour. It still could have been made shorter, though.

Reading this book was a refreshing change. I saw the cover and description, and decided I had to give it a try — the cover is quirky and cute, and reminds me of O. Henry for some reason. It’s not a book for those who want a fast paced plot, or those who want some action. This book essentially is just a time lapse capture of two women who lead remarkably ordinary lives, over the period of about 18 months.

I truly enjoyed this breath of fresh air, and would like to see what Nicola Gill writes next. The book is slated to be published in Feb 2020, and I hope it does well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an opportunity to read an advance copy of this book — I truly enjoyed it.

Much more depth to it than you'd find in other books in its genre and style (such as Bridget Jones' language and energy.) Author brought these two characters together naturally, making this a story of connection, trust, admiration and soul work. I loved how the book zipped along at a pleasant pace, making this one of those easy reads to cleanse the palate between heavier books....but here we find ourselves immersed in heavier topics, draw in, emotional, engaged, entertained, and hopeful. Gill knows how to craft a story, and this title pleases tremendously.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this free ARC in exchange for a review. I enjoyed this title very much.

What a fun, quick read! This author's writing reminds me of Sophia Kinsella whose writing I love.

The story was light and airy. I loved the humor - and Ginni was such a lovable character.

I didn't rate this a full 5* because believe it or not the story didn't draw me in right away.

A wonderful and truly delightful read. A pure feel good book. Thank you NetGalley and Avon books for my eARC of this book

This is a feel good story of an unlikely friendship. Heartwarming...........................sit down and enjoy it. Highly recommended