This is an interesting book as it defies the commonly promulgated idea that we don't know, or care about, or neighbors in London. My personal experience is that this is not true.
In hondon, we live in small communities, towns if you will, where, when you walk out the shop owners know you, the station staff recognise you, and you always bump into, and talk with, a neighbor. True, you need to smile and say 'Hello' first and maybe join in a community activity, of which there will be lots to choose from.
Not so in Commuter Land.
I lived there for 19 years and barely knew nextdoor.
Here in London I know lots of people & even have had drinks with
the people upstairs.
That said, this is a warm story, almost sentimental, with a young person befriending the grouchy neighbor below stairs, and as such helping her turn
her life around.

Ginny is about to turn 35 and finds herself jobless, roommateless, boyfriendless, and desperately wanting a baby. Cassie, Ginny's neighbor, is an almost washed up actress with lots of issues of her own. Somehow, these two women form a deep friendship.

I really wanted to like this book a lot more than I actually did. This particular genre is one I turn to for fun, light-hearted reading as a break from some of the heavier books I read. Unfortunately, this particular book just dragged. I didn't mind the heavier topics -- infidelity, depression, etc. -- but I did mind that they seemed to come out of absolutely nowhere. I also didn't like how weak Ginny was -- she lets men treat her however they want, when she finally meets a nice man, she acts like she's 14 instead of 35.

The ending was fine, but by the time we finally got to that point, I didn't really care about Ginny or Cassie anymore, unfortunately.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. It has not influenced my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and Nicola Gill for a digital review copy in return for an honest review.

This was a book that made me smile even though it covered some 'heavy' topics including depression and low self esteem. The characters are well thought out and I found myself cheering on Ginny and Cassie, the unlikely neighbours.

I have seen suggestions that there is a "Bridget Jones" feel to the book, which I can understand, however I found Ginny to be much more likeable and caring than Bridget.

A great debut novel, looking forward to reading more books by Nicola Gill in the future.

I like this author. Around 40% of the way into The Neighbours by Nicola Gill this thought came into my head. It didn't burst its way in, it didn't sneak in. One moment it was just there and I knew it to be fact. By time I was 2/3 of the way in, it was gone. I love this author had replaced that initial, weak thought. And I do, I love THIS author.

If asked my favorite genres, I invariably say "historical fiction Not romance disguised or dressed up as historical fiction because that is yucky" and then I mention mystery, fiction, memoirs, cookbooks, non-fiction, etc. I rarely if ever say woman's fiction mainly because I am not quite sure what it is. Isn't is just fiction? Why say woman's fiction, there isn't such a thing as men's fiction is there? That seems to be a debate for another time and place. The Neighbours may have been categorized as women's fiction but I don't think you actually need to be a woman to enjoy it or maybe even understand it. To be sure, there is much that I instantly understood, perhaps it is the shorthand of shared experience but there is a commonality of enduring heartache and doubt that we all share in the human experience.

Many times in this novel, I felt that Mrs. Gill was writing my thoughts and feelings. That is a gift that many authors do not possess. While The Neighbours is on the surface a light and quick read, underneath it examines heavier subjects and does it well. The ability to discuss those subjects while avoiding the trap of being either heavy handed or of being too flippant is something that should not be dismissed. It is impressive when much published author are able to straddle that particular fence; the fact that Nicola Gill has so ably done this in her debut novel is astounding. She is an author to watch.

I will be recommending The Neighbours by Nicola Gill to every reader I know. While this is a perfect summer read, I will be telling them don't wait, read it now. As I read the final words, I felt a very real sigh of satisfaction, don't put that feeling off because of the season, start reading now!

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I had a hard time reading this. It was really slow and long. I didn’t enjoy the characters or the plot. Overall this was just not for me.

Unfortunately could not empathize with the main character and this turned into an unpleasant read as I kept waiting for her to get her ducks in a row but she kept making impossible mistakes, and the victim mentality and woe-is-me angle that dragged on and on further turned me off from enjoying this story

A proper jaunty feel good affair of a book

Meet Ginny, 34, in P.R., unlucky in love but self effacing and ‘lovely’

Meet Cassie 55, ex Bond actress now reality TV ‘star’ with a vicious tongue and acidic humour

Both women are the complete opposites of what you would imagine a friendship could be, but as neighbours in London apartments via a set of circumstances that is what they, tentatively, become

I LOVED them both, their polar opposite personalities really worked well and as their friendship blossomed so did the hilarity and also equally the sadness of their lives

Bang full of wonderfully evil co-workers to caddish lovers the book has many many likeable and likeable characters to hate and not one a dud, every person in the book was easily placed in my mind such were the descriptions given

The book deals with unexpected friendship, romance, work relationships and a really touchingly unusual part about Ginny’s parents lives

Some of the situations are lol farce comedy they really are, some bring a tear but I guarantee you will remember these 2 and I hope, really hope, there is a follow on book

Wonderful!

10/10
5 Stars

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

DNF’d at 27%. Writing is all over the place and plot going nowhere. Tons of names and details that were unnecessary and made things confusing. Disappointed since it had so much potential!

An excellent read with a great story line and well thought and interesting characters.
I liked the storytelling, the character development and read it as fast as I could.
It's an excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This book had a lot promise but frustrated me so much.
I was really excited to pick this one up and I’m very thankful for the opportunity to read the advanced copy.

Characters are everything. I was very annoyed with the main character throughout the story. I could not connect with her at all. There were times when she was interacting with other characters in the book and I began to like her but then the inner dialogue would start and I was back to frustrated.

I almost DNF’d this book a couple times but decided to push through thinking it would get better. It didn’t.

This book was just not for me.

Ginny Taylor is almost sure that her on - again - off - again boyfriend Jack is finally ready to commit. But then she finds him in bed with her own boss. Now she's not only single but also jobless.
Ginny's neighbour Cassie Frost used to be a popular and well loved actress but it's all in the past now. The recent stint on reality TV portrayed her really badly so she desperately needs a positive PR. Her neighbour Ginny is a publicist, so maybe those two can help each other?

The story is told from Ginny's point of view but also going deep into other characters' issues. However, even though Ginny was the main heroine, I think I could better connect with Cassie - she was simply more 3 - dimensional than Ginny, and she was strong, determined and had a passion, even when she was at the weakest point. Ginny, on the other hand, seemed too flat, too whinge-y and I somehow cannot warm to her completely. She made some really crappy decisions, I didn't get her choices and altogether we couldn't be friends, me and Ginny, even though I have a soft spot for characters with this name. But I liked the unlikely friendship that developed between the women, the way they embarked on life, life full of ups and downs, facing up to all the challenges. It is a story of two women, with rather ordinary lives, but this made them more believable and likeable, even though one of the character's was an actress you could relate to them.

I loved the beginning of this book. It was funny, light - hearted and intriguing. But the more I read, the less hooking the book was coming. I started to have a feeling that it doesn't know in which direction it wants to take us - there were many ideas, the author touched upon many issues but it felt underdeveloped and chopped. The main character wanted to befriend a neighbour? Done - chop. The main character didn't want her boyfriend? Done - chop. The issues of depression? Chop. Short romance? Chop. Main character suddenly wants a baby? And then chop and it's time for another issue.

The overall feeling that I got from this book was of sadness, darkness and depression. Actually, I was surprised at the change of tone, as the beginning was rather light, witty and engaging, and then, suddenly, the darkness came and where I was looking for light - hearted humour, I didn't find any. And after that, it takes a bit of time to get into the heart of the story, as it seems a little disjointed and unstructured. It is a book with more depth than you expect, telling a story of the unlikely friendship, of growing to see the important things in life, also dealing with some heavier issues such as depression, showing the characters' personal development. It wasn't quite what I was expecting but it seems to be an issue lately, however it was still an enjoyable enough book.

Man oh man, did I want to like this one. And man oh man, did it not do well for me. *sigh* I knew there'd be some hard luck and I knew there'd be some trials and tribulations and I expected some funny moments with an overall heavier theme ... but I was not expecting this book to be so downright miserable with completely unlikable or sympathetic characters.

There was a lot of promise to this book, and I appreciated the way the author was (maybe?) trying to show that depression can come for anyone, whether you're young or old, rich or poor, famous or a nobody - it'll even come after you whether you're a nice person or not. However, I feel like if that was the message, it got lost somewhere ... and/or I'm pretending that was the message so that there would be something redeeming for my personal reading journey with this story.

Also, Ginny? Drove me bonkers. Making bad decision after bad decision with absolutely zero impetus and a backstory that in no way substantiated the poor decisions she kept making. Cool that she got her HEA and all, but she could have gotten there sooner in my opinion. *shrugs a lot*

Thank you to NetGalley & Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date. This is no way affected my review, opinions are my own.

Good fun, with enough complexity to keep you reading but no twists or turns to upset your equilibrium. Sometimes you just want a book that makes you happy, with no deeper meaning, no moral crusade, and no uncomfortable realities, written in an easy style and with a storyline that leads step by step to the wished-for happy ending. That's just what this one does. The storyline doesn't take you to unexpected places and while there are occasions when you want to scream at the heroine and remind her that making assumptions (especially ones that defy all personal knowledge of a subject) NEVER works out, it never becomes unrealistic. I know women who leap to conclusions faster than they do at a COS surprise sale, so it's not entirely a surprise when it happens here.

This book was not what I thought it would be.
In a good but in a bad way too.
Overall, a solid read.

This is a chick-lit novel a la Sophie Kinsella. We have two neighbors, Ginny and Cassie. These two form friendship trough some troubles and tribulations They are opposite in almost everything. And yet the connection is real and heartwarming. Even though Ginny is closer to me in age I feel more for Cassie. I liked her as a character better.

The pace of the plotline could be better...It felt dragging in some chapters.
This is not quite a lighthearted book as I thought. There are some emotional issues that are dealt with.
I wish I was more interested in the story or the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

A lovely easy read. Great characters. A book on friendships and relationships. You'll read in one sitting.

The Neighbours tells the story of two women, their unlikely friendship, and how each puts their life back together after they experience personal and professional upsets.

Ginny, the most central character, is 34 at the time that the story opens. At the start of the novel, she reflects that her life is not where she hoped or expected it to be at that time. She works an uninteresting job in public relations, but really dreams of writing a novel one day. One day, she discovers her boyfriend of the time cheating on her with her boss in her own apartment. She dumps her boyfriend and, unsurprisingly, cannot stay at her job. This provokes many further thoughts and feelings about where she is in her life and her goals for herself.

Before long, Ginny encounters Cassie, her downstairs neighbour. Cassie is a 50-something year old actress who is suffering a career upset after a series of reputation-damaging stories following an embarrassing television appearance. She has also experienced more than one failed marriage. Ginny initially judges Cassie and it appears that she has little in common with her given their different life experiences. However, she slowly gets to know her, eventually accepting an offer from Cassie to do PR for her personally. However unlikely the friendship appears at first, the friendship that develops is a very positive one. Because of the similarities of their perceived failures, they are able to help each other through the things that they are going through and support and encourage each other both emotionally and in their romantic and professional lives.

This is an excellent book for anyone who’s ever felt that they should be in a certain place or have accomplished something specific at a certain point in their life, but had not. For instance, all of the things that happen to Ginny at the start of the novel happen when she is in her mid 30’s. As a result, she constantly worries that she’ll never get a chance to have kids because she doesn’t have the right relationship. She finds herself comparing herself to her sister, who seems to have it all together compared to her. She feels like a total mess for a time. Many readers will find this refreshing because so many of us have had a period in our lives when we feel like we haven’t accomplished enough or are comparing ourselves to others. None of us are perfect.

Ginny’s narrative is completely honest and funny. It is often stream of thought, Ginny imagining what she’d say or do in a situation. She is self-conscious and uncertain of herself early on, but she has a sense of humour about it (“Perhaps I can run masterclasses on how now to behave in interviews.”) It is easy to sense her disappointment at her failures and to inwardly cheer for her successes. Cassie is often insecure but also doesn’t realise what good judgement she truly has. She is so genuine that she can’t help but be a character who many readers will find relatable.

As Nicola Gill writes, “This is a book that celebrates friendship” and it does that well. It is an enjoyable book for those who appreciate stories about seemingly different people who find a connection with each other and become dear friends. Ginny goes from initially judging Cassie to enjoying her company and standing up for her. Cassie initially appears simply snobby and ungrounded, but she ends up giving Ginny useful insights into herself and life advice, for instance encouraging her to take a creative writing class. This is a lovely story about how friends support each other, even when growth and improvement of life circumstances is not linear. Eventually, it becomes clear that Cassie is like family to Ginny and her well-being takes precedence over other things including work commitments and her love life. This book is a testament to the value of good friendships in our lives. It also shows how people can show up for each other and come along in your life in ways that you don’t expect. Friends can truly save one another.

One caveat is that in this novel, the story about the friendship far outshines other parts of the storyline. This reader found the plot as it related to the development of Ginny and Cassie’s romantic lives relatively uninteresting and less developed compared with the story of their burgeoning friendship. I wished more time had been devoted to the development of Ginny’s newer relationship after her breakup, or her boyfriend Nick’s character. It felt like she just jumped right into things and it went from point A to point B with little build up. Though there are more twists to that aspect of the story than what initially happens, this felt like a let- down. Additionally, I was not as invested in the story of who Cassie finds romantically. To Nicola Gill’s credit, this is a story that was intended first and foremost to be about celebrating friendship, and it does that well. It just would have been nice to have felt more invested in the side storylines as well.

The book touches on mental health issues (namely, depression) and the importance of taking them seriously rather than being dismissive of them. Nicola Gill showcases this issue in a sensitive way and shows how someone can be a good friend to a person with depression. She also talks about therapy in a way that is positive about the benefits it can have.

Both characters grow and change substantially over the course of the novel, and so, this is a story about two women’s journeys in picking up their lives and finding greater happiness. Ginny grows and begins to take greater ownership of her decisions, and Cassie finds happier relationships and peace in who she is. It is only through the way the two support one another that they are each able to find greater happiness. While The Neighbours is missing depth in some areas, it is a tremendous testament to the power of friendship and the way people can be there for each other through thick and thin.

A thriller title but a contemporary cover? What is this trickery! There are certain titles these days that give books a feeling of Psychological Thriller and probably would make me gloss over it because there are so many of those around at the moment (too many books too little time!) But this is different - great catchy title, beautiful vibrant colour...this is a refreshing debut novel from Nicola Gill. It's not romance as such - it's not a beach read - it's something else. It's one of those in-between books where very serious subject matters are explored carefully but at the same time it's not dry or dull. In fact, at times, it's pretty hilarious!

The only element that dropped it from five stars to four was the chapter structuring. There are chapters in the book which are clearly marked out - but there are also other times when it just segues into the next line but it's a completely different time or something else has happened and it's not naturally marked out as a chapter change. Reading it digitally meant that this was often tricky to follow.

This book does a superb job of following the lives of both Ginny and Cassie. I was initially attracted by the cover of this book but the plot hasn't disappointed.
This is my first read by Nicola Gill, already I cannot wait for more. I have been completely unable to put this book down. I found myself completely engrossed and desperate to know what was coming next.
I have enjoyed the plot, true women's fiction but heavier than chick lit. It has been enjoyable and the characters are likeable. The contrast between the pair has made a very interesting read.
The friendship in this story is strong, I have felt as though I've been sat down with a cuppa catching up with old friends while reading this book.
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A good holiday read, full of ups and downs of relationships. A lost love who in my opinion was not to let back in ever, a crazy minor celebrity who suffers mental issues , work colleagues come and go and in the final chapters a happy result for all. Not a hard read but entertaining.

Ginny Taylor finally thinks her boyfriend is starting to properly commit to her, after 2 years of on again off again dramas.  Then she comes home to find him in bed with her boss.  Being single and jobless at 34 wasn't in her life plan. 
Cassie Frost used to have it all, she used to be a well loved actress, but is struggling after a recent stint on reality TV portrayed her as a class A bitch. She desperately needs a new publicist.  Ginny really needs a job.  Can the neighbours overcome their differences and work together to get their lives back on track?


I requested this from NetGalley expecting it to be a fun and lighthearted read, which it is, but it had a serious note to it in places too.  It wasn't quite what I was expecting but was still an enjoyable read.

The book starts out well, although it does take a bit of time to get to the actual beginning of the story.  This gives us some background into Ginny and her life though.  I did find the early chapters a bit disjointed.  They seem to jump from one scenario to the next without the first one seeming entirely finished.  I didn't notice this as much further on in the story, I'm not sure if that was because it stopped or if I just got more used to the writing style.

In terms of the characters I have to say I think I connected better with Cassie than with Ginny.  I thought she was refreshing and funny in her determination to live life her own way.  Ginny for me was just a bit of a let down.  I have never understood women who stay with men who clearly aren't ready to be in an adult relationship, regardless of the reasons they give.  I did like that she was successful in other areas of her life though, particularly her career.  There are far too many books out there that portray their female characters as failing in all aspects of their lives and a relationship being the magic fix. 

In terms of the story itself I found it very entertaining.  Yes it's predictable in parts, but you have to expect that a bit with these sorts of books.  We don't read them for a real life experience.  I enjoyed the reminders that the media can (and often do) twist anything around to suit their own ends.   It wasn't the main point of the book but I appreciated it all the same.

I'd sum this up as an entertaining and lighthearted read.  There was a few bits that didn't work so well for me but overall I enjoyed my reading experience.  I'd definitely pick up another book by Nicola Gill.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon books UK for an arc in exchange for an honest review.