Actual rating 2.75 stars
To be honest I don’t know where to start. The book as a whole was okey but I thought that it didn’t follow the description. The mc was well developed but not really likeable and I didn’t find any chemistry between her and the apparent love interest. I also didn’t like the way that the love interest was introduced and didn’t like how confusing it was to actually know who the love interest is.

Overall the book was not bad but not exactly the best.

A fun, entertaining read. I sat down and read in one sitting. It was full of some fun unexpected twists and turns. A feel good read with a loveable heroine and some great friends. From Cass the hair stylist best friend, to Lloyd the friendly neighborhood butcher, the side characters were my favorite part of the book. Perfect for fans of Beth O'Leary, Sophie Sullivan and Trish Doller. It was a feel good romance perfect for rainy weekend in.

What an enjoyable and charmingly romantic book! I really liked the protagonist, Esme Green, and the story was filled with surprises. I highly recommend this engaging book to other romance readers. I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley, and the opinion expressed is strictly my own.

Special thanks to NetGalley and publisher for gifting me this ARC in exchange for a honest review!

There are two things I want to write about that brought my rating from a 4 to a 3. But first, I want to talk about the things I loved.

I really enjoyed the side characters and their subplots. I thought that each character was hilarious in their own way and I was interested in their little lives. I also enjoyed the resolution of the story, along with seeing Esme's personal growth. It was very satisfying to read her understanding her revelations. That being said, there are some things that made my review waver.

1. I was so confused about Esme's crush on David. I did not see it coming and honestly thought that I missed reading a few chapters about their relationship. I don't think there were enough scenes to show that David was even an option for a crush, or to see their dynamic. The first half of the book was really Elliot heavy, and I thought the author wanted that to happen.

2. I thought the characters were extremely dull. Other than a description that both Elliot and David were attractive, I didn't read anything else about their character that wasn't spoken. I felt the same way about Esme at some points, but her banter with other characters saved that narrative.

Overall, this was a cute read, but it took a while to get through due to my confusion and lackluster characters. I think the second half of the book was the best, so if you are willing to push through, I would still recommend.

When Esmee’s ex-boyfriend Elliot moves into the cottage next door with his new girlfriend, things get complicated. Especially when the new girlfriend, Morgan befriends Esmee without knowing she is Elliot’s former partner.

I really enjoyed this read overall, particularly Cass, David, Morgan and Lloyd. I appreciated that Esmee wasn’t a perfect character and her emotions and actions felt real and relatable.

The story
Esme lives in Bristol, and co-owns a gallery with her business partner David. When her flat is flood damaged, she moves to an Airbnb outside town. Her new neighbours have moved in, and it turns out it’s her ex from four years ago and his new girlfriend. Elliot doesn’t tell Morgan that he already knows Esme, and keeps making contact with her. Esme broke up with him as she suspected he was seeing someone else, and now he’s playing the same games again, and sucking Esme into his world.

My thoughts
I was fascinated by the dynamics of the relationships in this story. On the surface, Esme and Morgan would probably become friends, but Elliot’s deception prevents this. He’s a smooth but unlikeable character, and I hated how Esme was sucked in to his lies, and kept letting him control her. There are a few awesome side characters caring for Esme, and the potential relationships kept me guessing how the story would end.

Read an eARC copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher

I did enjoy this book, I found the plot interesting but I found myself getting a tiny bit bored occasionally. I enjoyed the characters and I always love a forced proximity/ neighbours romance

I requested this book because it reminded me of a movie I saw in 2017, The Boy Downstairs. Other than the ex moving next door/downstairs, there aren't many other similarities that came to mind while reading.

The last 20% of the book was my favorite part and I was incredibly impressed by how the author detailed her characters and how through their interactions the reader experiences a similar unraveling of the story alongside.

The supporting cast is wonderful, Lloyd was a brilliant character. I felt great joy whenever he was on the page.

Thank you to Jo, Canelo Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity.

I received this book for free in return for my honest review from NetGalley. The cover and description looked and sounded interesting and promising. The MFC was a little hard to like, and the encounters with her ex were full of red flags. One of the biggest interesting parts was mostly from a super minor character. MFC owns an art gallery. One of her sellers seemed to have a mysterious and creepy private life that reflected in some art. That story alone would have been so awesome to read. The MMC that wasn't the ex didn't feel like he even meshed well with the MFC. It just wasn't for me.

Thank you to Canelo for sharing this ARC!

The Ex Next Door is a charming little romance/contemporary fiction book written by Jo Platt. I can honestly say that I was not expecting the twist but was so happy with how the book ended! I enjoyed Esme's journey of figuring out what (and who!) she wanted in life. This was a great read!

TITLE: The Ex Next Door
AUTHOR: Jo Platt
PUBLISHER: @canelo_co
YEAR RELEASED: 2023
GENRE: Fiction / Romance
STAR RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Ex Next Door, is described exactly as it is, an 'utterly charming and funny romance'. At first I thought the plot was predictably going where many romcoms have gone before but alas, I was pleasantly surprised when a few twists and turns derailed these thoughts early on, meaning I couldn't put it down until the end.

The characters are undeniably loveable, wholesome and well-described. Platt's humour is evident (especially loved the back story of the sculptor!) and I really related to the (sometimes neurotic, but real) main character of Esme.

I'm also a fan of the short chapters! I'm often fitting a chapter in here and there, and that made it so much easier to do so. Platt is a new author to me, but I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

Great feel good-writing, that makes you thankful for the neighbours you have.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @canelo_co for my ARC. Published 26 Jan, 2023.

The Ex Next Door about Esme moving into a short term rental and the one who got away moves in next door with his new girlfriend. I thought this was a quick entertaining read and found myself really liking the side characters a lot more than the main ones. I liked that it took a different direction than I was first expecting this one was just ok for me 3 stars. I want to thank NetGalley and Canelo for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

It book was good just not for me. the pacing was off to me but i kept reading nonetheless. i had high hopes for this book but it just fell a little short with me.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So this book was NOT what I was expecting. At first I was low key annoyed at the amount of back story and attention to building up the side characters when the female main character and her "ex" had only had two small interactions within the first 10 chapters...but OH MY GOD. It made so much sense around the 60% mark where we were hit with twists we did not anticipate! I thought this would be a safe trope-fest book but no, so much better.

Big fan of Esme as a character, and I really like Lloyd!

Devoured this book in about 4-5 hours. It takes a little while to warm up to and then you simply can't put it down. Platt is a new author to me, and i look forward to reading more from her!

Second chance or new romance? Esme is suprised when Elliot, her ex, moves in next door with his girlfriend Morgan. They decide not to tell Morgan about their past (not a good move) but soon, well, you know how these things go. But wait- Esme's business partner David has always been a stalwart but will he, should he, be more? No spoilers from me but I suspect other readers will figure this one out as I did. That said, Platt has a nice storytelling style and I found myself turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

It was okay! Not really my cup of tea! I wish I would have enjoyed it more! Sadly I was disappointed!

This was really two books. First we have to live through Esme’s internal monologues as she struggles with having her ex and his new girlfriend move in next door. Her ex, Elliot, doesn’t want to tell his present girlfriend who Esme is. So she’s stuck feeling like she’s lying to the girlfriend who is really a very nice woman who just wants to be friends with her neighbor. As the book goes along, Esme also has to struggle with her growing feelings for David, her business partner with whom she owns an art gallery and her jealousy of an obnoxious artist who keeps throwing herself at David. As the book dwells more on the business of the gallery and its neighborhood, I enjoyed it more. There are some fun side characters whom I really liked, especially Esme’s best friend who was a real kick as well as the neighboring butcher who comes to Esme for love advice. And the shy sculptor was also a great character.

It’s very clear to the reader which guy is the one she should end up with, but Esme has to work through a lot of feelings before she can figure it out.

I got a bit tired of Esme having to play a role of lying to people and wanted her to wake up and see who her real soulmate is.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

The Ex Next Door was an adorable, wholesome read that kept me entertained throughout the whole story. I enjoyed the twist at the end, but wish after all the build up that we got to see Esmes happily ever after expanded a little more. All in all, a very good good book that I will be recommending to friends and family.

I give this story a 3.5 star rating rounded up. Thanks to the author and Netgalley for an advanced copy.

Esme and Elliot are both ex's who decide to hide their previous love and knowledge of each other from their family and friends. What unfolds is some extremely funny and awkward situations. Making it a very heartwarming book.

Esme and Elliot are two exes who find themselves as next door neighbors, and they decide to hide their past relationship in order to avoid any awkwardness with their current friends and loved ones. What ensues is a comedy of errors, with Esme questioning what she really wants, who she really wants, and how she may have misdirected herself. A fun, contemporary romance.