A Good Neighborhood

Fowler has certainly written a book that will be a best seller in 2020. This story of a doomed love between 2 incredibly gifted and sensitive young people in the sad age of Trump will emerge as a classic reminder of this troubled period in America.

Dealing with a mixed race relationship and the bigot who manipulates the situation combined with the careless prejudice of our time, wreaks destruction on all those involved, for no reason except the total lack of decency which we so often see.

I loved this novel and was totally moved and enraged by the actions and cruelty that have been so prevalent during these past few years.

The characters are well developed and extremely likable, except for the stereotypical, evil bigoted step-father who is the catalyst for the plot.

Book clubs will enjoy hours of rich discussions and “if only” rewriting of the plot when they share this very fine novel. I hope that these discussions don’t cause political divisiveness, since the role of racism is something that is so topical.

BTW, I enjoyed this so much that I went to order Fowler’s earlier books....until I realized I had already read them. I especially loved A WELL-BEHAVED WOMAN, a fascinating story of Alva Vanderbilt.

So, treat yourself to 2 great books, A WELL-BEHAVED WOMAN now and A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD in February. I really am grateful that I had the opportunity to read and review this very interesting novel.

I loved this book from the first page! Ms. Fowler tackled a difficult, but very timely situation and wrote about it with sensitivity and thoughtfulness. The characters are complex and she made me care about them and the things they do. I rejoiced with them, worried and stressed about them, and talked to them through the pages. I found myself thinking bout them and their situation even when I wasn't actively reading! I know this book would spark and excellent discussion for a book club and I am definitely recommend it to the women in the one I lead.

Wow... I just finished this book and my mind is still reeling with the amazing character development and the story itself. I foresee this being a bestseller for sure. Put it on your TO READ list NOW!

WOW. I did not expect to love this as much as I did. It was sad, a little dark, and real. I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this and will be recommending to others to read! An amazing book.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in return for my honest review. This book was so good. The Author had such a beautiful way with their words. It kept my attention and made me want more and more! Thank you so much!

A Good Neighborhood by [Fowler, Therese Anne]

I don't usually feel emotionally impacted by novels, but this is an exception. I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long time.



Review copy provided by publisher.

A Good Neighborhood is a fantastic book that leaves a mark on you long after you read it. Wonderfully written and interesting characters.

Already a fan of Therese Anne Fowler's historical fiction, I was curious to dive into this current day fiction that is surely a departure from her previous books. This novel did not disappoint; I found myself staying up to the wee hours to finish it in barely two sittings.

Told through the distinct and quirky-yet-introspective voice of the neighbors of the community of Oak Knoll, North Carolina, this novel touches on many powerful issues including racism, criminal justice, religion and sexual assault, magnified by the story's setting in the South. A professor/environmental activist and a new-money, "self-made" entrepreneur become neighbors sharing nothing more than a property line, and head toward a collision course that envelops two families and the entire community. Narration by a group of unidentified neighbors acts a kind of a Greek chorus, foreshadowing events and providing enough thought provoking commentary that makes this story hard to put down until you reach the heartbreaking but extremely powerful conclusion.

Without a doubt, you will be thinking about this book long after you finish it. Honestly think this would be a great movie too as the issues it highlights are real, current and while not new, definitely warrant a wide audience that can drive more dialogue, action and change.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this must-read novel. Loved it!

One of the best books I’ve read in a while. Bookclubs are going to go nuts over this one. Much better than Where The Crawdads Sing. I loved it. The racial tension and feelings were depicted perfectly. Now I must find other books by this author.

A very current topic. Very well told . Each character has a real depth. Story line holds your interest. Would recommend to friends and would carry in the store.

This book was a a perpetual page turner and I loved it.

The story is heartbreaking and has a devastating ending. This story is plausible and well written with a protagonist who kept me on the edge of my seat.

Thank to netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this galley.

Rarely does a book make such an impact on me physically. This tale of young love, racism and white privilege made me physically ill and will stay with me for a very long time.

Oh my gosh this book is so wonderful. It's beautifully written and the characters are so real. The story is well rounded and SO SAD. I will be recommending this book for lots of people to read and if I taught high school I would recommend it for students too.

This storyline is a real departure from Fowler's usual historical novels, but I think she has come up with a winner that could be adapted for one of Reese Witherspoon's movies. Book clubs will have a lot to discuss with the issues that are brought up in fast reading prose. The neighborhood was at peace with Valerie, a college professor of forestry and ecology devoting much time to her trees and outdoor plants. This single parent had a biracial son who was competent, mature and a senior in high school. Everything was smooth until the Whitmans moved in behind their property and tore all the trees down damaging the roots of her favorite oak tree, to put in a big swimming pool. He was the caricature of the swaggering successful business man who loved to emphasize his success with material goods. He also had a beautiful stepdaughter that had taken a viginity pledge until marriage. The story is told from the neighbors' perspective as if they are hovering over the scene, gossiping and commenting on the unraveling of events. Ugliness transpires, with lawsuits, violence, an unjust legal system, and an unwillingness to be colorblind. It is very much a reflection of today's America. May this book be another catalyst for frank discussion.

Love a book with a strong first sentence that pulls you in like a magnet and doesn't let go. Another reviewer said it best when she said it was a good easy story to read with lots of complex topics. I enjoyed the writing style and the interruptions by the narrator; it felt like the narrator opened a window into the story and it was interesting to hear details of the characters and plot through that different lens. The author handled the race issues well and created suspense although I must say somethings were obvious. Overall a really well done novel that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an early release in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Very well written book with an interesting plot. I could vividly picture the characters. I actually had to take a break from reading it for a bit because I was getting too emotionally invested in it and feeling anxious. That's hard to do nowadays so kudos to the author.

A Good Neighborhood is provocative and compelling-likely to be one of the most talked about books of 2020. And there's a lot to discuss-depending on what side of the fence you're on (or in the case of A Good Neighborhood what side of the Oak tree at the center of the story), you'll be shaking your head in disbelief, or nodding at the sad reality contained in its pages. Therese Fowler is mostly known for historical fiction, but here she tackles the timely topics of race relations, social injustice, and the growing disparity between "the haves" and "have nots" (although if there's any complaint with A Good Neighborhood it's that Ms. Fowler tries too hard to avoid stereotypes with her characters). But the lesson of A Good Neighborhood transcends every demographic-even if you work hard and do all the right things so you can live in a "good" neighborhood, that doesn't mean nothing bad is going to happen.

“We all, regardless of the color of our skin, are bound by a moral duty to demand equal and just treatment for all women and men under the law."
I was so caught up In the storytelling of this novel, I could not stop reading!
The blending of this emotional novel with so many serious topics, is truly amazing and had my brain trying to figure out ways to help both families and thinking of them all long after I read the last page.
It is well done!
How can things go so wrong for two teens who live next door to each other and eventually fall in love?
Both Juniper and xavier are model students and well respected in their community. But… one is biracial which still causes a deep mistrust by many. Why?
Should we only look with our eyes? Who is not to be trusted in this neighborhood?
“We’ll start here."

Ten stars!!

What a poignant book. This compelling story will stir your emotions and make you question your train of thought. It reaches a part in your heart that you can't ignore. A story that I hated to love. I had a hard time not rushing to the end. The characters were well depicted and the story line was captivating. I enjoyed the way the story was told, more of from an outside, neighborly perspective with switch backs to the person telling the story. Great book.

What a book! It was gripping, emotional, timely, and so so well written. This one is going on my best of shelf for this year, for sure.
We are introduced to a nice, quiet neighborhood with modest homes. When a new neighbor comes in and remodels to create a grand mansion, essentially destroying a 200 year old oak tree from the neighbor's yard due to the huge root system, the beginning of the end starts. An illicit relationship between daughter and neighbors' son begins, which adds to the mounting tensions and results in tragedy.
I cried, I smiled, and this is definitely one that will stay with me for a long while.

A Good Neighborhood is a contemporary family drama that explores some important themes throughout by way of two families living next to each other. This is a novel that will make you think. Themes of race, class, the justice system, love, religion, and sexual assault are all explored. Readers who enjoyed Little Fires Everywhere will want to get their hands on A Good Neighborhood. Highly recommended!

The Good Neighborhood is an engrossing and relevant novel. Though it is fiction, the situation that is depicted is one that is all too familiar in today's climate (in more ways than one). Following Valerie and her son, Xavier, the novel discusses the disruption to the environment (both physical and emotional) that occurs when a new, wealthy and white, family builds a home and moves into their neighborhood. Tackling the heavy issues of both racism and destroying nature, The Good Neighbor is an important but also enjoyable read.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel.

I loved this unputdownable book!
It was a great and emotional read. The characters were realistic. The plot was gripping. Run, do not walk, out to get this fab book.
Thank you NetGalley.

Wow! What a read. Brad, a self-made millionaire builds a home in the neighborhood Oak Knoll. Brad and his family move into their palatial home next to their neighbor who is an ecologist and college professor. It just so happens Brad and his family are white, and his neighbor is a black woman. Her son, Xavier's father was a white man.

Xavier and Whitman's oldest daughter Juniper, both in high school nare attracted to each other. They secretly date. Then one day an explosive incident changes everything. No one's life will be the same.

This story is told through the collective voice of the neighbors. It explores racism, climate change, and family dynamics. These characters and the story will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a beautiful, eloquent, and meandering tale that is so reflective and realistic of today’s environment. Therese Anne Fowler has brought to life poignant and powerful characters; some you can relate to, some you want to avoid, whose paths cross when they become neighbors in a well-established older neighborhood.
When the new neighbors immediately raze the older home and all the beautiful and stately green vegetation on their lot and then build an angular architect’s statement that doesn’t blend in at all, tongues start wagging. One protagonist of the story is the unified voice of the neighbors, an interesting and powerful aspect of this gossip-riddled novel; a voice and entity you never actually meet, but a much-needed perspective on the tangled web of events.
I absolutely love novels like this; written with so much emotion and heart, I wonder what personal events has the author suffered or witnessed in order to portray such human faults and angst. This is not a quick and shallow read. It will haunt you well after the last page.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks so much to Jordan at St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for making it available.)

A Good Neighborhood is the perfect mix of informing and entertaining. When the Whitman family moves to Oak Knoll neighborhood it is clear that they have everything they want and then some. Their arrival starts a domino effect of disasters occurring throughout the neighborhood. Now mix in a little bit of love, a little bit of want, race, wealth, and justice. When will it end? And who will be at risk?

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and author Therese Anne Fowler for this ARC!

In a departure from her most recent novels, which have been historical fiction, Fowler turns to the present day in A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD. The first page immediately draws the reader in and we are treated to a gripping and immensely satisfying story. In a world struggling with racial injustice and violence, the answers don't come easily. Experiencing this drama right alongside the well-drawn characters provides for an immersive and compelling reading experience. This might be Fowler's most successful novel yet. Can't wait for her next!

A Good Neighborhood is a simple book to read. It’s short, it has an interesting and relevant plot, the characters are believable. A simple book to read - and a complex storyline to absorb.

When I first started reading, I was bemused by the narrator, who is apparently one of the neighbors, although exactly which one is a mystery. This tactic is captivating and kept me wondering throughout the story, but in no way overshadows the tale itself, which could have come right out of any current headlines.

Valerie Alston-Holt lives in an established, diverse neighborhood with her eighteen-year old son, Xavier. The area is on the cusp of becoming a highly desirable place for the wealthy to move into and to rearrange to their own style. In fact, that’s exactly what happens when the Whitman family demolishes the house and the vegetation on the lot adjacent to Valerie and builds a beautiful, brand-new home and pool. Brad Whitman is a newly wealthy businessman married to Julia and has two children, seventeen-year old stepdaughter Juniper and six-year old daughter Lily.

Critical to the story is the fact that Xavier is bi-racial; his mother is African- American and his deceased father was white. The Whitmans are white. The families are friendly until too many circumstances, contrived and otherwise, place them on opposite sides of the newly built fence between them.

I stated earlier that this is a simple book with a complex storyline. The complexity comes from the fact that simple things happen every day, as they did in this story, and they can lead to complex and terrible results. From the beginning we are told that we probably will make assumptions about what happened with these two families. I didn’t want to make those assumptions, yet I did. The devil was in the details, as they say. I didn’t know how the story would play out, and honestly, would not have guessed that it would happen as it did. What I assumed correctly was that it would be painful and sickening and that I would be angry at the outcome.

There is more to A Good Neighborhood than what might seem obvious. Without giving spoilers, I will note that the book confronts several issues that plague the world in which we currently live. My first thought was that the author was trying to tackle too many topics in one short book, but she handled them all deftly and pointedly, and never did any of them seem unrealistic or overhyped. I wish there had been different outcomes to some of the situations, but sadly, they played out just as they likely would have in real life.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars

A powerful and intense book! You may not want to be reading the climax of this book into the evening, or you won't want to put it down to go to bed. This book made me want to cry for what passes as justice in America, as I suspect the fiction of this book is still a reality for many people.