Spoilers in this review.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nina was one of the most annoying characters I have ever read. All she did was whine and complain.

Vanessa’s personality change was surprising (not in a good way) and there was no signs of it. It would have been more interesting it there were little signs of her messing things up, even though I did have my suspicions. The fact that Zac would take a stranger my word over his girlfriends was mind boggling to me. And the brother was so wrapped up in revenge, but this is how his revenge took place? Dramatic, but not good dramatic.

I’ve read books where one of the characters was looking for revenge on the main character and they were well done. This just fell flat.

And the ending? What was that? All that build up and it was just a letdown.

I was not a fan of this book.

Whenever a heatwave blast comes in, I'm always in the mood for an intense read to scoop me in and help me forget about the horrible temperatures. To be honest, I was really in the mood for a dystopian young adult novel but couldn't find any to my liking so I went over to NetGalley to see some of my options. The Couple Upstairs caught my eye, mostly because of the cover and the plot surrounding neighbor difficulties.

Wow, did this book catch my attention! It was maddening, frustrating, and exciting all at once. I gobbled it up in just a few days and I can't wait to tell you all about it.

So, Nina and Zac are moving into their beautiful home hoping for a fresh start. Nina is finally launching her dream business, and her and Zac's relationship is looking as promising as ever. Except before they even have the chance to settle in, things start to go wrong. First, they both get really sick after eating a dessert made for them by their neighbors. (I mean, that could be just a fluke, of course, right?)

And as hard as Nina tries, she just can't break through to her quiet and seemingly troubled neighbor, Vanessa. Meanwhile, Chris seems to have it out for her from the start, but Zac doesn't seem to notice this at all.

Before long, everything falls apart for Nina, and her entire life is in shambles! Everything she thought she had is gone and now she can only think of one cause - her neighbors.

This intense, exciting read kept me interested the whole way through. The conflict fueled (and intensified) by the fact that Nina's boyfriend Zac just doesn't see things the way she does. At times, Zac's doubt frustrated me, and many times I thought it was hard to believe that he wouldn't be beside his girlfriend or even try to see things her way.

As for the ending, there's a shocking twist that I wasn't expecting! It was a little hard to believe, and I thought Nina was too quick to dismiss Zac's lack of support or loyalty to her. However, this was an exciting ride and I'm still glad I read it.

I'd absolutely recommend this!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of "The Couple Upstairs" in exchange for my honest review.

Shalini Boland has once again created a story that will grab the reader from the opening pages and will keep you turning pages until the end. Ms. Boland tells the story in the "THEN" and present day narration.

The story takes place at 15A Mistletoe Lane in Friar Cliff Dorset. Nina Davenport and Zac Ainsworth are moving into their new flat located in a house that has been converted from a single home into 2 flats. Above them in 15B live Chris Jackson and his pregnant wife Vanessa. Chris appears loud and boisterous, while Vanessa is quiet as a mouse.

After receiving a welcoming gift of a chocolate cake both Nina and Zac fall violently ill but they put it down to a bug that has been going around. Weird late night noises come from the flat above, with sounds of arguing.

Nina is trying to build her online fashions. She has an investor who also holds the mortgage on the home they just purchased. Someone sends Nina flowers signed "J" and Zac thinks that she's seeing someone. Chris spends a lot of time worming his way into Zac's life, becoming his best friend it seems. Strange things continue to happen. Nina sets the alarm when she leaves home but the alarm isn't on when she returns and she questions whether she even remembered to set it. Her business starts getting bad reviews, people start returning items... Soon her company, relationship and happiness starts to deteriorate and she thinks that moving into the flat has caused a lot of it.

It's shocking to learn what is really going on in this story. It has a wonderful twist that you can start to work out towards the end. We learn what can happen from an obsession. The part of the story that is in the "THEN" italics is harder to figure out because it could be the back story to any of the characters.

A thoroughly engaging and beautifully written novel.

What a great read! I completely devoured this book in under 48hrs (in amongst toddler tantrums and a full time job I might add!). But why only 3 stars I hear you ask? Well, that’s where it gets tricky for me.

The major plus points for me was the way in which it was written and constructed. Shalini really knows how to tell a tale and I defy anyone to not get completely hooked from the first chapter. The style of the narrative has this beautifully down to earth feel about it. The books short, sharp chapters demand that you read ‘just one more’. And the characters are all believable and totally relatable. Just a pleasure to read.

The reason I haven’t scored it higher is mostly down to the story itself. I found it a bit too predictable. Whilst the ‘who & what’ was trying to confuse me and throw me off, if anything it just made me more certain. I thought the ‘why & how’ was a bit extreme and quite probably the only thing I felt was unbelievable. The final chapters were a bit drawn out and didn’t add to the already established storyline.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will definitely be seeking out more from this author! It’s fast paced, engaging and beautifully written but not very taxing on the grey matter - so perfect pool-side reading!

Thanks to NetGalley for my advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Good book, rather predictable, but, still a fun read. I recommend this for an easy fast paced read.

Thanks NetGalley, Bookouture and Shalini Boland for an ARC to review.
Nina and Zac moves to their new home to build their dream life.
From the first day they step foot into everything starts going wrong and their peaceful relationship starts falling apart.
An engaging slow burner where I liked the writing style as I love Shalini's writing but I got so annoyed with some of the characters at certain parts.

3.7 Stars
Nina and Zac move into a ground floor flat in Mistletoe Lane. The house is charming and near a beach, a perfect choice to settle down and grow roots, Nina feels. The couple has been in a relationship for five years and considers this move a way to add to their happy relationship.
Zac is busy with his plumbing business, and Nina is running an online fashion store. They interact a little with the neighbors, and life seems to go on fine more or less. However, the couple upstairs causes mixed feelings in Nina. Why is Chris always rude? Why doesn’t Vanessa talk much? What are those sounds in the middle of the night? Why can’t Zac see what she notices?
As if that’s not enough, her business starts to collapse. Bad reviews are affecting sales, and the arguments between Zac and Nina have escalated. Someone is doing this on purpose. But who and why? What do they get by ruining Nina and Zac’s lives?
The premise was intriguing, and the story maintains a good pace. There were quite a few characters introduced, and not all of them are important. Since the note down the names, it wasn’t an issue to remember who was who.
Though I wasn’t thinking of the twist, I figured it out pretty soon. The ‘why’ was a mystery, though I had a slight inkling. It was fun to read and discover that my guess was right, even if the reason seemed a little too far-fetched and melodramatic. But then, people do all kinds of things, and worse has happened in real life.
The author did a good job of keeping my interest intact. However, the reveal and the subsequent drama fell flat to me. It was over too soon, followed by a lengthy summary of the events. The solid buildup went for a toss here.
I also have a few issues with Nina and Zac’s relationship. Yeah, the book is narrated by Nina, and I’m bound to take her side. But it did seem like Zac wasn’t really worth all the stress, and he sure didn’t handle things well (despite being matured).
Considering these issues, the rating fell to 3.5. Still, I could finish it sooner than planned, and the story didn’t feel boring anywhere. So that’s plus 0.2 stars.
I remember reading The Wife by the author and thought that ending diluted the book. Looks like the same has happened here (at least for me). Some readers loved the ending, so likely that I’m the odd one out (won’t be a first).
To sum up, The Couple Upstairs is a decent thriller with a great pace and light twists. Don’t worry about figuring things out in advance. The story is still gripping enough to keep you interested.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC.

Nina and Zac move into their new home and have problems with the neighbors right from the start - some of the things that happen make my own rotten neighbors look like saints. I was shocked to find out who was actually behind everything, and why. This was a real page-turner, and my first book by this author. As soon as I finished it, I immediately put the rest of her books on my TBR list!

* Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A dream home right next to the neighbours from hell - a perfect theme for a great psychological thriller.

Nina Davenport and her boyfriend Zac Ainsworth are overjoyed at having found their perfect home in 15A Mistletoe Lane. Their neighbours, however, are less welcoming and give Nina all sorts of wrong vibes. As they settle into their new place, strange events occur that disturb Nina - like the neighbours fighting loudly and the sound of furniture being moved around in the flat upstairs at 3am, someone sabotaging the electrical wiring in their apartment, etc. While Zac brushes it off, Nina suspects something sinister is at play here. When her business and personal life begins to get targeted, Nina realises that someone has it out for her and decides to find out who and why.

The plot is pretty fast-paced and builds in intensity right from the outset. Though the author is a known name in the thriller genre, I really wasn't feeling this book. This maybe because the book's title itself is a major spoiler. So though the author does try to create confusion in the minds of readers with a handful of other negative/shady or unlikeable characters, we are already aware who the bad guys are.

The plot twist at the end was a redeeming factor but not by much, since for most of the book, I kept thinking, 'I already know whodunnit, so why am I reading further.'

Overall, an average story. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I always look out for Shalini Boland’s books as they are always a great read. and the locations are familiar to me as I live in Bournemouth . This one was an easy holiday read - in fact I read it in a day on my lilo in Spain. It wasn’t as good as the rest and was very far fetched!! But it certainly passed the time.

The early reviews for this one are great. And that makes me feel less guilty for not enjoying it. at all.

Nina and Zac move into a flat on what seems a picturesque street. That is until they meet the couple in the flat above and Nina quickly gets the sense that something is not quite right. That Spidey-sense does not go away over time; if anything, it goes into high alert. It seems that everything in Nina and Zac’s world that was going right, suddenly begins going sideways. What was supposed to be the beginning of a new, fresh chapter has turned into the beginning of the end with the couple upstairs bearing witness to the events unfolding.

Guys/Gals – even that. I tried really hard to make that sound interesting and it’s just not. The first 80% I only kept going because it was flying through the pages and it made me feel productive despite the dirty dishes in my sink. I was hanging my hat on the last 20% kicking it into high-gear and bringing it home… instead it became outlandish and solidified my early opinion

But heck, the cheese stands alone bcs my quick look on goodreads found rave reviews from David, Gary and Barbara.

Another one for the pile of not for me, but maybe for you ?

This is the first time I have read a book abnormal this author but I had heard great things about it and I wasn’t disappointed. Some of the characters gave me the creeps a little and it was more Vanessa that I was unsure of at the start. This book had a few twists and turns and had me gripped, a real page turner and a great read, I really enjoyed this book and sad that it ended

I love Shalini Boland and this is another of her books I rated #fivestars. This book is intense, reads very fast and is a real page turner. A simple story (you would think) of a couple who move into a flat to get a fresh start. But then things start happening, the couple upstairs is a bit weird and I really thought I would lose my mind.

Lights go out, noises, poison, and then Zac, her boyfriend doesnt believe her. How will this end and what a twist there is. This one can be finished in a day because you really want to know what happens in the next chapter. Thanks to #Netgalley I got an ARC of this one since it will not be out until September 13, 2021. Only a few weeks away and worth the wait. If you love mysteries....put it on your list! #fivestars

I really enjoyed this book. It was a great storyline with excellent characters. I would highly recommend this book as it was a great read.

’This my 13th book have read and reviewed by this author ( my record! ) and so I know it’s going to be a good read, I love the writing style and stories, this one as you can guess was ‘even more up my street’ as was about neighbours, moving home and settling in to discover all is not well ( an understatement)
All I will say is that if you are moving home this book will make you vet any neighbours thoroughly and make sure you know exactly who is going to be living in close quarters to you
Good characters, the always lovely setting of Bournemouth/Dorset, a great party scene where you couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with pity for the poor host and some wonderfully awful Mum’s ( of each main character ) led to a well paced, intriguing and genuinely exciting read where I wasn’t sure who was good and who was bad until all was revealed, great read

9/10
5 Stars

When you pick up a book by Shalini Boland, you know it's going to be good and you know it's what you need. This one, as ever, did not disappoint. Would recommend

This was okay. It wasn’t thrilling or extremely suspenseful? It was predictable. There could’ve been more twists put in the story

My Review:
Another cracker of a read by the fabulous Shalini Boland. I have read almost every single book by this author and she sure does not disappoint. I have loved every book I read by her and all of them have kept me guessing the whole time. I can’t wait to read her next book.

I want to start off by saying how great this author is. Her books keep you in suspense and you never know what twist is at the next corner. I never thought I would fall in love with an author as much as I have with her. I can’t wait to read her books and I will not stop until I’m done with the book. My whole world ends when I read one of her books. Now on to the actual book. I really liked this one. It was definitely one of my favorites by her. The whole book was based on revenge and who doesn’t love a story about that. I know there are a few people that I would love to get back at. This book was very relatable and that’s one of the reasons I loved it so much. I also loved that twist of an ending. I couldn’t believe who was the mastermind behind everything. Never would have guessed it and why. The why is always the most important for me. The ending wrapped up nicely and there were no loose ends which I loved. I can’t wait to read more by Shalini Boland.

Between the plot, characters and all the twists in this book it made it an easy and fast read. I would definitely recommend it and happily give it 5 Hearts❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

“You never really know what’s going on behind closed doors…”

This one is a bit difficult to review.
Maybe my expectations were a bit too high, which would explain why I found myself struggling with putting my thoughts together by the time I finished reading.

I quickly found myself engulfed into the story.
The writing was very easy to get into for a non native speaker like myself, but also fast paced and beautiful.
It almost felt like I could see what was happening on the page being projected on a movie screen.

All these things got me hooked immediately.
I felt anxious and angry with the characters. Wondering and eager to see where the story would take us. Unfortunately, the last couple of chapters and the ending tainted the experience a bit for me.
It all felt a bit too absurd, too much and unrealistic, which left me a bit disappointed and with a feeling of “….. That’s it, really?” By the end of the book.

I think because I got instantly invested in the story and the many possibilities, I might’ve expected something darker. More twisted and shocking.
And therefore i closed the book feeling like it was missing something.

Still, my experience with this book was pretty enjoyable and I finished it in less than two days.

I would absolutely recommend this book for people trying to get into the thriller genre and not necessarily looking for something too heavy or graphic.
Or for readers already familiar with the genre, but simply wanting a quick, easy read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, & the author Shalini Boland for the ARC of The Couple Upstairs.

Zac and Nina have just moved into their new apartment together on Mistletoe lane. Nina and Zac live in the lower unit and Chris and his pregnant wife Vanessa live in the upstairs unit. Nina and Zac are excited for their new beginning in this seaside town and are hopeful to start new friendships with their upstairs neighbors. While Zac seems to quickly bond with Chris, Nina has a bad feeling about him and is worried about why his wife Vanessa seems so quiet and withdrawn. Nina tries not to let this dampen the mood on their new life together at mistletoe lane and puts her energy and drive into her new fashion company. But why do things seem to keep going wrong since they moved here? Is someone trying to sabotage Ninas life and career?

This psychological thriller was fast paced and left you wanting more at the end of each chapter. I felt frustrated for the main character Nina and needed to get to the end of the book to see things (hopefully) resolve for her. This book was particularly hard to put down once I reached the halfway point and the plot continued to thicken. I would recommend this book to fans of psychological thrillers and fans of Shalini Boland!