Member Reviews
The Perfect Neighbors is a story about a typical neighborhood - full of secrets and things people just don't want others to know. What is a perfect neighbor? Someone who is friendly but not a friend, someone who picks up your packages when you are out, someone who can give you a cup of sugar, or someone who will let your kids play with their kids. Sarah Pekkanaen has crafted a story about a neighborhood in Newport Cove, that gets a new family (The Campbells) that is running away from their past. As Tessa Campbell tries to fit in and reinvent herself we learn that her new neighbors have their own problems from getting back into the workforce, dealing with divorce, parenting teenagers, and being a part of a political campaign. Everyone in the neighborhood has their own drama that no sees from the outside looking in. By the end, you learn what the Campbell family has run away from and you have to decide if their history is a problem for you.
I enjoyed the realistic listserve messages that broke up the chapters and brought levity to each woman's personal drama. The Perfect Neighbors will make you wonder what your neighbor might be dealing with and even hiding...
I enjoy Sarah Pekkanen's novels and this one was another winner for me. I like women's fiction that brings you into situations that seem like they could be in any neighborhood or family. This book felt very relatable to me with the interactions between the neighbors but also very Desperate Housewives-ish and I liked the element of secrets/mystery.
Hating to be somewhat contrary, but I have always found this author’s work to be a bit overrated… I either cannot finish or have to slog my way through, feeling frustrated. I will keep trying, maybe my mind will change… Cannot recommend this one though, I’m afraid. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read it.
I loved this book! If you like sudsy drama, a little bit of dark humor, and getting an open invitation to join in the complicated and emotional lives of female friendships, which I do, then you will enjoy this book. Each character has a compelling storyline, each one dealing with something that fits the stage of the life they are going through. I loved watching them grow and learn from their various trials and see each of them come away stronger and more fulfilled than when we first met them, as well as maintaining their close friendships with one another.
This book is the story of families who live in the same neighborhood. The book focuses on four women. We get to know them individually and see their interactions with one another. Some of them are harboring some dark secrets that will soon come to light.
I enjoyed the characters and the stories surrounding them. This one moved along at a good pace for me and kept my attention throughout,
Thank you to Net Galley and Washington Square Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book tells the story of three neighbors who live in an idyllic neighborhood, where there are lots of block parties and neighborly activities. A new family has moved in recently, they seem friendly, but a little reserved and untrusting. As we delve into all the secrets these women are keeping, we discover not everything is as perfect as it seems.
This was a very easy, breezy read with characters that were likable but not particularly memorable. Overall, it was an enjoyable book, but not as good as some of the author's others.
This was my first Sarah Pekkanen read and it was really good. She did a nice job highlighting how every marriage is different and you really don't know what happens behind closed doors. A relationship might look perfect to outsiders but actually isn't. There was a slow reveal on some of the issues with one that was kind of shocking. I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more by Sarah. Well worth the time.
I really enjoyed this book. I admit to craving community, so books about female friendships -especially in the suburbs, where I live- speak to me right now.
The plot is good, the characters well developed. I appreciated the diversity of characters, from their experiences to their backgrounds. I also enjoyed the variety of issues the women faced. The plot felt real. And his book made me want a group of friends like these! I really wanted to read more about them - and that's why I'm giving this book 4 stars instead of 5. I felt the author grazed the surface of each character. I felt quite frustrated about this. I wish it were a series or a bigger book so that we could really dive into the life and feelings of these women ( what it feels like really to go back to work after being a SAHM, what it feels like to be an African American women in what I understand to be a mainly white neighborhood, etc). I wanted more! Still, overall this was a great read.