I started Welcome to the Neighborhood by Lisa Roe on a whim, and it ended up being just the kind of book I needed this past weekend.

I love books about parenting, and especially ones that speak to the state of family life we are currently in, and this read filled all those buckets. It was clever, witty, and also heartwarming and real. I loved Lisa Roe's writing style, and the way she made this story come to life.

There was low stakes drama that made it entertaining, but also not wildly out of touch like some books can be in this sub genre. The focus on friendship and what makes (or doesn't!) a marriage and what priorities are really important all made this enjoyable and also thought provoking at the same time. I loved the themes of "letting go" while also holding on so tight as your children grow into the independent people they were made to be.

All in all I just. enjoyed this one so much and the narrator did an amazing job wit this audiobook. I highly recommend this and can't wait to see what Lisa Roe comes out with next. 4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Dreamscape Media for my review copies.

This book was everything I wanted from a contemporary and it also gave me a lot of sad memories. Being a girl who just wants to make friends but, trying to fit in with the wrong crowd just because they are the cool kids in school. So much heartbreak and being a mom with a husband who is practically the entire book becasue he went on a business trip. This book gave me all the feels and I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the audio ARC of Welcome to the Neighborhood and the choice to share a review.

Ginny and her daughter move to the suburbs after Ginny remarries. The neighbors are strange and vapid and Ginny and Harry have a hard time adapting. Her new husband is called away for work and a lot of drama ensues.

This was a fun listen with low-stakes drama that was entertaining. The writing and dialogue was strong except for the daughter who I felt like was written a bit off, not age appropriately and sort of agonizing to endure.

The narrator was strong and kept my attention as a listener.

There were a lot of moving parts to this but it wrapped up well.

I really enjoyed this one. Ginny and Harri have lived their entire life in Queens and as a single mom she has always put her art last and only been able to do it at night but then she meets and marries Jeff. He moves them to his home in the suburbs of New Jersey and he has built her an art studio in the garage of her own and moved them into the home he shared with his ex-wife. Now Ginny is trying to fit in with the neighbors who are champagne and she is IPA and with Harri and Mrs Cuddlesworth, her chicken, the preteens are little bullies. After all, they learned from example. This one was funny, thought provoking, and head shaking. It made me glad to raise my children in the country! I did laugh along and really glad Jeff finally found his way and caught up.

This was such a heartwarming journey about a mother daughter relationship that goes above and beyond to show how much this relationship truly means.

Ginny and Harri are the mother and daughter pair we needed in this day and age. They raise chickens, spend time outside, read books and do so many more things together that a mother and elementary daughter would do.

They face hardships together of being a single mother raising a child, moving to a different state, her mom remarrying, new friends and a new school. This can be a lot for a young girl. Especially when the girls are awful and bully her, telling her she’s fat and shouldn’t eat carbs.

Harri isn’t the only one dealing with this bullshit of crappy people. The moms aren’t very nice either. One of them even trying to ruin her new marriage because she wanted to be with her husband after his divorce and he chose Ginny instead.

This book was full of love, drama, heartbreak and more love. Definitely a heartwarming novel that you should pick up.

This book wasn't one of my favorites. I didn't really think any of the characters were likable and as a mother I didn't want to read about Harri struggling in school. Overall this wasn't a book I would typically read.

Not my typical read by any means, and therefore what a charming surprise. I listened to this book with my husband and we both cheered and booed at the various characters. This suburb of New York is the neighborhood you never want to live in, but this artistic gal shows us how to navigate the stereotypes like a pro. Yes, I recommend this book! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

#WelcometotheNeighborhood. Thank you to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an advanced readers copy. This is the story of Ginny and her daughter Harri. Ginny meets and falls in love with Jeff, they get married and move to the New Jersey suburbs. Ginny is hoping for a new start and to give Harri all she’s ever dreamed of. The neighbors turn out to be a group of mean girls, both adults and children, and both Ginny and Harri try to navigate this new world.
This was originally going to be a three star review, but Ginny redeemed herself in my eyes as far as her decision making. At first she second guessed and doubted herself so much it was a little tedious, I found myself a bit annoyed with her. The neighborhood moms were over the top, but entertaining. My favorite character was Wayne and his dog Penny and Z, Ginny’s artist best friend.
Overall, this was a light, enjoyable read, well written and good character development. I would read this author again.
TW: there is a scene of aggressive sexual advances on the part of a man and it could be a trigger to those sensitive to SA.

I would hate to live in Ginny’s neighborhood, and cringe at the thought of having neighbors like hers!

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this audiobook while I worked today. The little twists throughout kept me interested, and had me rooting for Ginny and Harri until the very end.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to the Neighborhood is a cute story with some over the top characters. Ginny and her 11 year old daughter Harri have just moved from Queens to the New Jersey suburbs with Ginny's new husband Jeff. Quickly Ginny amd Harri realize their new community is not what they are used to and they are in over their heads. On top of that Jeff is soon called away to Ireland on business leaving Ginny to fend for herself against these new-to-her neighbors.

The book was light and fun, if not a bit cheesy at times. I listened to this on audio and I did enjoy the narration and felt it helped bring the characters to life.

Thank yoi to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Welcome to the Neighborhood was a pleasant surprise for me. This was a blind read for me, as I did not know much at all about it before starting, and I found this to be a nice break from some of the heavier reading I was doing, although there were still some heavy moments here as well.

This story was a great dive into the life of a blended family, the struggles of being a single parent, and also the crazy personalities of moms in a suburban town. I thought this book had so many great moments, some heavy and sad moments, and then a lot of funny laughs to break it all up. Overall, I found myself really connecting to Ginny and wanting to know what was going to happen next for her. Would definitely recommend!

Many many thanks to NetGalley and to Dreamscape Media for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

What an absolutely charming book. I wasn't expecting much when the story first started, but I really enjoyed the storyline! It could be considered a fish-out-of-water situation for a previously single mom who married a man and moved to the ritzy suburbs. I found the relationships between all of the characters to feel natural- nothing felt forced or seemed so out of the realm of possibility. I felt like I was just outside the window of this home, looking in on these characters and feeling the same emotions. I got pulled into this one, and just got lost in it. I love when that happens.

I didn’t really have any expectations going in, and tbh it had been a bit since I requested it so I kinda forgot what it was even about. I think that worked to my favor in that I had no preconceived notions on what to expect. I ended up really liking it! I’ve never watched Desperate Housewives and not much of a Real Housewives fan, but I think if those two had a baby, it would represent the women of the new neighborhood that Ginny and her daughter Harri are moving into. Ginny has just gotten married to Jeff after being a single mom for a long time. She moves from the city to the suburbs to be with him and it takes a lot of adjustments for both her and her daughter. As they both struggle to fit in with the moms of the neighborhood, they stated to see that money truly doesn’t buy happiness as the cracks beneath the facades of the fancy houses and fancy lives start to show.
When they realize they don’t want to be part of the new “it” crowd, Ginny and Harri find themselves again and make some true friends along the way.
This was funny, emotional, messy and a great balance of family drama, relationships and catty women. Perfect beach read and I definitely enjoyed the audiobook. The narration was well done and he characters were clearly identifiable. Would/will be recommending this to other readers this spring.

Interesting novel about a couple both of whom are in their 2nd marriage. Lively writing style with clever observations. The neighborhood has several quirky characters to explore. This is an uplifting read during a time that many find depressing and stressful. Excellent book for those needing role models for a blended family that is loving and supportive.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.

Welcome to the Neighborhood is a sweet and funny story of Ginny as she navigates motherhood, a new marriage, and a new neighborhood. I enjoyed listening to this audiobook but will say that it was definitely not what I was expecting. This book was labeled as a romance but is very much not, which is cool but as I said not what I expected when I started the book.

The story was a little slow at the beginning, but then took off about halfway through. I really enjoyed the relationship between the mother and daughter. The book did a good job of describing the struggles of being a parent; wanting your child to make their own discissions but also trying to protect them.

Overall, an enjoyable read.

I think the reason that I am giving this book a 2.5-star rating is that it was not at all what I was expecting. It was in the romance section of the NetGalley titles and was fully expecting it to be mainly about the romance aspect. I could relate with a lot of characters because a lot that happened in the book happens in real life. For example, kids get peer pressured into things because they want to fit in with their "friends" or neighbors always trying to one-up each other. I loved that the author brought light to those topics because things like that happen in small towns. Ginny went through a lot in this book so props to her for being able to get through it in the end.

I loved that Ginny was a great mom who let her daughter be whoever she wanted to be. It warmed my heart to see how close their mother/daughter relationship was. Ginny was doing the best she could do with the hand that she was dealt and did an amazing job doing what was best for her child. Ginny overcame a lot of hardships and always dealt with those issues with care.

The main thing that I disliked about this book is the number of villains. Normally in a story, you build up the main antagonist and they do something really bad to the protagonist and then they get over it. In this story, there were about three different "bad guys" and they all had separate issues with the protagonist. I think that this story would've been stronger if it focused on one main villain instead of many. It just felt as if the author was trying to make the story longer. Overall, it just wasn't my cup of tea but I could see others enjoying it.

Ginny is a single mom with an eleven old daughter, Harri. Times are tough in Queens and when she marries Jeff, they move to his house in an upscale neighbor in New Jersey. Ginny marvels at the lovely home, the art studio Jeff has built for her, and the wonderful opportunities at the new school for Harri. Jeff has a wonderful opportunity with his company which involves living in Ireland for a while, leaving Ginny to get acquainted with her new neighbors.She first meets Wayne, her next-door neighbor, and his dog Penny. Jeff forgot to mention that Wayne starts his day in her hot tub. The PTA moms don’t take lightly to a new neighbor and immediately sign her up for duties in the coming school fundraiser. Harri tries to fit in only to lose her identity.

This is a wonderful book about staying true to yourself and standing up for your values whether they are popular with those around you. Both Harri and Ginny are bullied. Her sweet daughter begins to take on the characteristics of her friends at school and Ginny and Harri’s relationship suffers. Left alone to manage her new life, Ginny’s relationship with Jeff also suffers. Ginny’s creative mind adds so much to the book. Harri’s struggle with trying to fit in is hard hit. I had sympathy for both Harri and Ginny. Great story, wonderful characters, lots of smiles and some tears.

First book by this author. This is more of a mother/daughter book for me versus a romance novel. Single Mom Ginny has finally found love after being alone for so long. She and her daughter, Harri, move to suburban New Jersey when she marries Jeff. Ginny looks forward to meeting the neighbors, seeing her daughter make new friends, and making some new friends herself. In the first half of the book, the dynamics between the characters resembled early stage bullying where it’s subtle enough to know it’s not good but not overt enough to see clearly. In the second half of the book things escalate quickly for both Ginny and Harri. While the events of the second half were more serious and this was not a light-hearted romance story, it was in this part of the book that Ginny’s character was easiest to root for. She found her footing and protected herself and her daughter, firmly and confidently. All in all, this book was fun and easy, the writing and story both held by attention and the high energy and engaging. Overall I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it to others who like closed door romances, found family/true friendship, mom drama, and heart warming mother-daughter relationships

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Dreamscape Media.

this is such a charming novel centered around family, perseverance, friendship, and all the love shared between those who matter most! i listened to the audio version of “welcome to the neighborhood” and i adored the narrator! they were able to pull off everyone’s voices with such ease. the slight haughtiness she added to the pta moms’ voices and their daughters made the conversations easier to listen to and more enjoyable. her rendition of eleven-year old preteens was also achieved without force. this was such a fun novel to listen to!

the new jersey suburbs combines the quaintness of gilmore girls’ stats hallow with the drama of the real housewives and mean girls. ginny definitely reminds me of lorelai gilmore! she’s a headstrong momma lion prepared to do anything for her daughter. and harri makes the perfect rori; she’s a confident young girl who readily jumps into any situation without hesitation and wants to be everyone’s friend. i just want to meet these two characters and give them tight hugs!

Not only was this book fun (I LOVED the New York references) but the narrator was engaging. I love a story that takes places in New York or New Jersey because it feels a bit like home.