Hope Close

to be honest i found this a bit confusing of a story .i felt there were too many story lines running throughout .it did however pick up a bit towards the end so all in all an ok book.

A quote (from ARC):
“Solitariness was closing in on her, and even her husband felt like a stranger now.”

A gripping and suspenseful novel about loneliness, pain and secrets, and how the past always catches up with you.
Set in a Surrey (England) small community, “Hope Close”, by Tina Seskis (Lake Union Publishing), features four neighbors, three women and one man with different ages and backgrounds, each with secrets of their own.
The writing is very good and the novel structure, told from the neighbors’ (three women and one man) perspectives, very smart.
The romance takes a back seat but the story is still very rewarding as we get to know the characters’ secrets and even the more horrible ones become a little more human and friendly.
Andy is such a broken, tortured hero, I felt glad that in he was able to find some peace, although the redemption process seemed a bit undeveloped.

This was an excellent thriller based around a cul de sac of houses in the English countryside. Right from the beginning I just knew that this book would suck me right in and yes it sure did do that. This book had everything I love in a good book, great storyline, strong characters, mystery, intrigue and plenty of thrills. I highly recommend this book and have no hesitation rating it a 5⭐ read.

My thanks to the author Tina Seskis for the opportunity to review an advance copy of this book and my opinions are all entirely my own.

Tina Seskis is on form with this intriguing story of a secretive, reclusive young man with regrets about something shameful in his past. Her depiction of Hope Close as an environment of anxious, claustrophobic, mis-matched people and their random houses, which is supposed to be a pleasant retreat in a beautiful area is skillful. The diverse characters and dissatisfactions, jealousies and fear of discovery, leading to neighbourly, and often un-neighbourly, interactions, which eventually give rise to a series of denouements, some unexpected as per Tina's clever storytelling, some quietly but satisfyingly predictable. Sensitive, observant, timely. A good read all round.

DNF. Could not get past chapter 8. Not my type of read, too drawn out and boring. Thanks for the ARC.

This book was hard to put down. I devoured it in two sittings. The story was so captivating it made you not want it to end. I love it!

Hope Close by author Tina Seskis is a fast paced domestic thrill of a book! Loved the characters and plot line!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Eventhough it is quite a lot of backstory with secrets woven in, that back story in so necessary for the twists and secrets to be revealed. I also feel that the descriptive elements made you feel that you were part of Hope Close, just another neighbour peeking out of her curtains to see what was going to happen next.

The thing about this book, is that all of it is so believable especially if you have lived on a cul-de-sac. Everyone knows your business and nothing can be kept secret. Even if you think it is!

I’ve only read one of Tina Seskis’s books so when I was offered the chance to read an ARC copy of her newest novel I was keen to take part!

I loved the previous book I read and this was no exception. The characters who live in Hope Close are all well developed, described in detail and made me feel like I knew them. But, they all held their own secrets! I felt compassion, intrigue and suspicion of all of them and was eager to find out what those secrets were.

Through the book there were many suspicions which grew and revolved about all characters and mostly the new resident in Hope Close, Andy. The neighbours all had their own views about him but which of them will be the one to rumble his secrets?

A fantastic thriller! Thoroughly recommend you read this!

I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all books by this author, so when offered the opportunity to read an ARC for this one in return for an honest review, I jumped at the chance.

The book follows the residents of a small cul-de-sac in Surrey who all have various issues in their home lives, including a new neighbour who you learn has recently been released from prison and has suffered from addiction and mental health issues.

The characters in this book were so well fleshed-out that I felt like I really knew them and genuinely cared for where their stories were going. I especially enjoyed the character of Joan, we all know a 'Joan' and I laughed out loud at a couple of her observations about her fellow neighbours. I liked Andy's character as well, I found it interesting to follow his journey as he attempted to readjust to normal life.

My only criticism would be that the story is a little bit slow-going in parts but in my opinion it is completely worth it to be involved in the lives of these wonderful characters.

This book didn't impress me as much as I had hoped; however, I always like to offer some positive feedback, and this book did reach some high notes. Firstly, I thought the writing was top-notch. The storyline was easy to follow and I was never confused about what was going on. Some books can get very wordy, and I didn't find that to be an issue with this book at all. Second, I really could relate to the characters. I always like when the characters in a novel are relatable. It helps me connect more with the book. Finally, I did find the plot very interesting. The parts of the book that I took issue with was the pacing. For me, an excellent book requires the reader, achem <me.> to have a very hard time putting down the book. In this case, I found myself taking breaks more often than not. While I did finish this novel, I could not call it a 'pageturner'. When I find a book impossible to put down, that is for me, a memorable read. I would rate this book 3/5 stars.

What Secrets Hide On The Close...?
The seemingly quiet Hope Close hides a multitude of secrets and suspicions. Solid characterisation and engaging storytelling make this a rather compulsive read. There is much backstory but nothing irrelevant and all necessary to tell the tale. Well drawn, enjoyable suspense.

Three women, Layla, Joan and Nicole live in Hope Close with their husbands. A mysterious new neighbour moves in, keeps himself to himself and erects a large set of gates. What does the new neighbour have to hide.

I have read a books before with the premis about neighbours and one or the other have a secret and for me I find the stories quite entertaining. This book I thought was ok but had enough to keep my interest until the end.

Each chapter follows each of the women and how they entwine and how they each live their lives. The reader also follows the new neighbour who clearly has something to hide. The story progresses until all is revealed and why.

I felt this book had enough to keep my interest and I did want to find out what the big secret was. I felt however that the story just plodded along at times and I just wanted it to move up a notch and move on a little.

I would say if you like Liane Moriarty then this book is for you. A modern setting with a very mismatched bunch of characters. There was some funny moments in the book especially with what some of the characters did get up to. A good, ok
read.

I would like to thank Tina Seskis via Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review the book.

I have read quite a few books from this author and enjoyed them all. This was no exception, I found it to be an excellent read with good, well developed characters all with their own secrets.

The book held my interest throughout and I would have no hesitation in recommending it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Here is a review of the book Hope Close by the featured author this week Tina Seskis!

After what seems as a life -time of reading cozy books I have started entering the thriller world as it seems it's the most popular genre nowadays.
And I knew it would happen – I am hooked and there's no coming back. 😊

I have received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

How can I describe this novel?

Some earlier reviews mentioned that so many characters and their stories are confusing. Not at all! And believe me – I should be the first one confused since I haven’t read an engaging serious book for a long time.
Every arc story and the character behind it is extremely detailing described and I was very satisfied with the delivery of suspense for each and every one of them.
I loved reading about their worlds entangling, about their secrets, big and small, coming out and how it affected the neighborhood as a whole.
The authors way of drawing you to the story is the highlight of this book – Tina managed to make you think that you know exactly what is happening, that this book isn’t entertaining after all, but then with each next chapter you get hooked up and change your opinion and after reading half of the book you are not sure if you know who the evil characters are, or if they are all going to kill one another, or what their secrets are.
She uniquely makes you think about one character and what might happen to them that formed them as their present self and while you are still thinking about that same character she throws at you so much more suspense in the next paragraphs that you just want to reach to the end and finally know all their secrets and what the hell is going on!
And the end – I honestly, swear to God and my little one’s life I never saw coming! Those casually mentioned names throughout the book and the main characters make such a compelling novel that I am still thinking about it next morning.
In the book some of the past isn’t really explained which makes me hope for a series about these characters because the delivery of their pasts combined with the present story is just brilliant.

Another terrific book from the pen of Tina Seskis, who is fast becoming adept at writing nuanced and complex characters that are compulsive reading. As ever, her plot is fiendishly wicked and great fun to read.

Hope Close by Tina Seskis The premise of the book was intriguing. There were multiple story lines some of which did not mesh together well. The transitions between the POVs were confusing and distracting. An interesting read but slow paced.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

A fantastic read, full of intrigue that will keep you in suspense throughout!

Welcome to Hope Close a cul-de-sac in the countryside with just four houses, who’s occupants prove that so much more goes on behind closed doors!

The story is told from four POV’s – Layla, the unhappy housewife who has just had to agree to send her beloved son to boarding school.

Nicole, the bored, lonely housewife whose children have all flown the nest and whose husband pays her little attention.

Joan, an elderly lady who seems to despise her husband and pretty much anyone or anything!

Then there’s Andy the new resident on Hope Close, who is fresh out of rehab and has a very mysterious past.

All very different types of people but one thing the ladies all have in common is that they are all very nosey neighbours! As Andy wants to keep himself to himself and let his secrets remain in the past, I think he has picked the wrong neighbourhood to move too.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it felt like starting with a jigsaw puzzle where all the pieces are initially scattered around but they all come together by the end. It was very easy to read, and the chapters flit perfectly between each character. I love the way Tina makes things so intriguing in her books that you just want to keep turning the pages. It is the third book I have read of hers and each one I have been wowed and haven’t guessed the outcome.

The setup reminded me a lot of Desperate Housewives which I used to love watching! I think this book would make a fantastic TV drama.

An awesome curtain twitcher read which bought out the nosey neighbour in me!

Thank you so much to Tina Seskis, Amazon/Lake Union Publishing & NetGalley for my ARC of this book.

I don't know how to rate or review this book. There were too many people, and the storylines did not blend well. I picked it up a number of times and finally felt a relief when finished,
Thank you, NetGalley for the advance copy toreview.

I absolutely love all the books Tina Seskis has written and her familiar writing style was evident in her latest offering, I raced through the book really looking forward to the twists unfolding but I hate to say it but it’s not one of my favourite books by her. I found I could guess some of what was going to happen and I’ve not been able to do that with her other books.
This would be a good one to start with if you’ve not read anything by this author then read some of her other books. You won’t be disappointed!

This is the first book I have read by Tina Seskis but it won’t be the last. I really enjoyed this book, it immediately pulled me in and then was very cleverly written to keep me intrigued with different strands of story interwoven between all the residents of Hope Close.
I rated this 4⭐️ and would recommend it.

I only read about 10% and couldn't get into this book. I wanted to give it more of a chance, but Layla sending her 8-year-old to boarding school prejudiced me against it from the start and I didn't really want to find out what the new arrival's likely terrible secret was.

I really enjoyed the way this book has been written as in each chapter is dedicated to each character. The story builds up really well and you get to know the characters on Hope Close. As the story was building I expected things to get quite sinister with Andy, which is the mysterious neighbour that moves in, as a few things happen to lead you to believe that is where the story may be heading. I think because of this, I felt slightly underwhelmed by the overall outcome at the ending of this story. This is purely just my opinion from what the book lead me to believe was going to happen, plus the fact I do read a lot of thrillers, I think also made me think that way too. Having said that, the book does tie up all the loose ends well.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the book sounded intriguing, but the execution did not quite live up to that potential. The multiple story lines did not always mesh very well, and I found the transitions between the various POVs confusing and distracting. Partly due to the continuous changes in POV, the story advanced very slowly and I found it hard to sustain interest at times. There were constant references to past events, some of which were never actually revealed - and those that were eventually revealed fell a bit flat, and therefore I found the ending disappointing.

Hope Close, at first glance, seems like a nice and cosy neighbourhood.
But each of its residents has baggage of their own.
Layla is unhappily married and missing her son, who has just been sent to a boarding school.
Nicole is a lonely woman, whose children have left home and whose husband pays no attention to her.
Joan is a busybody who finds problems with everything and everyone.
So when Andy Mayer, a mysterious new neighbor, settles in one of the recently vacated houses, it spells trouble.

The story, told in the third person, follows each of the neighbours and is interspersed with Andy Mayer's firsthand narration.
When I started reading, I was instantly intrigued. The opening chapters offered a really good premise, and I was excited to be sucked in.
Unfortunately, it quickly turned out that the story was really slow and not suspenseful enough. The new neighbour's secrets were the only thing that kept my interest, but sadly even that eventually fell flat. Andy's motive seemed random and far-fetched, and therefore the ending was disappointing.
I was really battling with myself whether to give this book 2 or 3 stars, but in the end, I just couldn't justify the higher rating.
I'm aware that my opinion is in the minority, so I think you should check it out for yourself.

Tina Seskis is fast becoming one of my go-to authors as her attention to detail surpasses any plot lines. While this doesn't really qualify as a domestic or psychological drama it certainly is an magnificent domestic noir portraying the inner lives of the occupants of four homes in a claustrophobic cul-de-sac in the picturesque Sussex countryside. It’s difficult to conjure a sense of foreboding throughout a novel where, to be honest, nothing too externally drastic happens. However, my heart was pounding at so many times and I felt as if mass murder had just happened. It didn’t. . But that’s how it felt, and as surely as it’s difficult to read, its surely more difficult to write in this style. Instead we are treated to the murder of dreams and marriages, the death of expectations and the acceptance of loneliness as a norm. More devastating than any pile-up-the -bodies stories. The street is disrupted by the mysterious arrival of a young single man into their midst and finally the street name becomes symbolic as well as a mail delivery technique.

I was not a fan of this novel. I struggled to find a redeeming feature in any of the characters. They were mostly mean spirited, strange and bitter. The novel is set in England in a country town in a street called Hope Close. It is told from the point of view of several of the occupants of Hope Close who are mostly fueding, suspicious or spying on each other. The plot was so convoluted that I struggled to work out what was going on, and even at the end of the novel I still wasn’t completely sure what had happened. A total miss for me.

So gripping and intense!! I was hooked straight from the beginning. Great domestic thriller with a fast plot and well written characters

This story introduces the residents of a small cul-de-sac in Surrey who all have their issues. Suddenly a new neighbour shows up which nobody is sure about...it seems that the peace is disturbed by this intruder.
In the beginning i thought beeing pushed into some kind of desperate housewife-ish story which is not my cup of tea....but i was so wrong. All the charakters are very special and well constructed!
to me the story never seemed to be boring or superficial, on the contrary!
dive into the world of HOPE CLOSE to see for yourself and enjoy!
thank you very much for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Lots and lots of secrets in placid Hope Close. The arrival of Andy, who has his own things he'd like to keep hidden, starts a waterfall. Layla, Nicole, and Joan all lived quietly - or did they? No spoilers bit know that this is told from multiple perspectives. Pay attention to Joan as she's the one who prompts the others to look at both themselves and everyone else with a different eye. Is she right? No spoilers. There's no big drama or trauma here but that doesn't mean it isn't a good read with nice storytelling and characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

A story of secrets, relationships, loss and new beginnings. Hope Close is a quiet well-to-do English countryside cul de sac. Life 'should' be easy here, but "you never know what someone else is going through". The four main characters are well developed, the plot moves along quickly with enough mysteries to keep your mind working. A good book that makes you adjust what you were thinking as the story unfolds, providing more bits of the puzzle as you move toward all the answers at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advance copy of the book.

Mesmerising
The whole book

Hope Close, so wonderfully described by the author is a well 2 do cul de sac in leafy Surrey, consisting of only 4 abodes yet rammed full of ‘perfect to read about’ characters

From Joan the wiry haired curtain twitcher gossip with her venomous tongue to Layla the bored housewife
forever regretting sending her young son off to boarding school to the new arrival, the mystery man, dressed in black and reluctant to leave his newly gated property, they all fizz into Hope Close and once Joan with her instantant dogged determination sets about to alienate everyone and find out who the mystery man is she sets off a chain of events even she could not foretell

Told mainly in the now by various characters with ‘mystery man’ delving into his past this book kept me on my toes all the time, I thought I had it all worked out, quite a few times only to have it proved wrong

Absolutely loved it, page after page of book goodness, fabulousssss

10/10
5 Stars

So many different types of household on a random cul de sac in England. I didn't guess many of the plot twists and, although I did find the book slow at times, I really did enjoy watching it all come together.

I have read other books by this author and enjoyed so I was keen to read this. The story focuses on the residents of Hope Close and is told from the perspectives of 4 main characters, each with their own mini plot going on. Each character is different and has you guessing about how their part in the story will develop. The new resident Andy is the one which has you gripped the most , what did he do and how does he fit in to it all? Although I thoroughly enjoyed this I was expecting a bigger twist at the end, I'm not sure what but I just sort of felt a bit deflated by the end. After saying that , it is a good read though and I would recommend it to others who like this genre.
Thank you Netgalley and Tina Seksis for this ARC.

The premise of this book was so intriguing. I have read multiple books about neighbors and secrets and have always found them very entertaining. This one barely seemed to keep my interest throughout. I had a hard time staying engaged and really skimmed chapters to get to the end and to find out the secret.

Told in alternating perspectives per chapter, this follows the group of neighbors and their lives on their quiet little street. While usually a novel like this works well, this one seemed to be disjointed. Not all the stories seemed to mesh well together. Because of this choppiness, I felt completely set back from the overall story and actually had to remind myself why I was still reading- I wanted to find out the BIG SECRET!

This is a cast of unique characters- an odd bunch of sorts. Since each chapter follows a different character, I did like how I got to know each one individually. However, there were times I felt like I was getting too much story which lead to complete boredom and skimming on to the next chapter.

The ending was quite the letdown. I, of course, will not give anything away and you can decide for yourself how you feel about Hope Close when it is released here in the U.S. on March 24, 2020.

Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for allowing me an eARC to read and give my honest review. It was a 3 star read for me.

Happy Reading!

I stayed up way too late last night finishing this book off 😆 but I really enjoyed it!
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𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀 ⠀
"Hope Close is a small cul de sac with residents who are terrible curtain twitchers who stick their noses in one another’s business. They think they know everything about each other until the newest resident arrives. He puts physical walls in place to keep his busy body, prying neighbours out and they’re all convinced he has something to hide.⠀
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Unbeknownst to each other, it appears that they all have secrets behind closed doors, and once they start unraveling the impact is explosive."⠀
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𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀⠀
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I found this book really intriguing and I couldn’t put it down.⠀
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It was very cleverly written as each chapter was told from a different characters perspective, with their name heading the chapters. This differed when written from the mysterious new residents point of view , who has so much anonymity that it keeps you turning the pages. Nothing was ever given away about who he was, where he came from, or what impact he would have on this street.....very clever in my opinion. It kept me gripped.⠀
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This is my first book by this author and I look forward to reading more of her books.⠀
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 from me ⠀
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You never really do know what's going on behind closed doors... Or gates.

A great twisty read about the residents of Hope Close, Old Battleaxe Joan who doesn't like change. Trophy wife Layla and bored housewife Nicole. Things are fairly quiet on the close until the arrival of a new neighbour who is very much keeping himself to himself.

The mysterious neighbour unlocks secrets that have ramifications right across the close.

This book made me miss the good old days of Brookside Close!

This was definitely a page turner. Thanks to net galley for the opportunity to review this book this is my honest opinion.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Tina Seskis for the opportunity to read and review her latest novel. Just finished a glass of wine and this book - totally escapism reading and I loved it! 4 stars.

A well-to-do Surrey cul-de-sac with four houses and four very different inhabitants. There's the older couple, Joan is the local busybody, angry at the world. Nicole is depressed after her children moved out and her husband isn't paying enough attention to her. Layla is the newest wife of Charles, and mother to Henry. She's coping with her husband's insistence that Henry go off to boarding school at the age of 8. Then there's the mysterious new neighbor, who installed privacy gates and talks to no one, but we know that he just got out of prison and a halfway home. So very many secrets for one cul-de-sac!

Just a fun read but also one that teaches us about judging others.

I’ve read all of this author’s books and though I enjoyed this one it wasn’t as good as her others I felt.
It’s an overall OK read.

I'm quite disappointed with Hope Close. The story sounds intriguing and potentially scandalous but I felt it fell short of all it suggested. I didn't really warm to any of the characters. Their relationships and interactions with each other are fractious and don't feel genuine. The introduction of Andy should've made things interesting but this fell flat too. His interactions with the his neighbours on Hope Close are awkward and uncomfortable. The book is filled with curveballs that don't go anywhere and basically just keep looping round to keep you guessing who Andy is related to and what his secret past was. I just found it more frustrating than anything and found it a bit of a slog to finish.

It's a shame because I loved One Step Too Far and The Honeymoon from Tina Seskis but Hope Close just didn't come near for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tina Seskis and Amazon Publishing UK for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hope Close is Tina Seskis’s fifth domestic-based psychological thriller and is every bit as addictive and captivating as her previous books. From initial perusal, the synopsis reads like a trillion other similar novels but in its defence, the author does a great job of depicting the small-town community living in which everyone knows everyone else and their business, or so they think, and many tensions fester underneath the surface of most peoples pristine facade. This time it takes place in a Surrey town and charts the intertwining lives of neighbours Andy, Layla, Nicole and Joan. Andy is a bit of an oddball who very much keeps to himself; Layla is the great pretender and for all intents and purposes her family life appears idyllic yet nothing could be further from the truth; Nicole who is unlucky in love and life; and elderly Joan the common local busybody who loves nothing more than to be the instigator or perpetrator of idle gossip about other residents.

This is a superb character-driven thriller mixed with aspects of women fiction/chick lit with tonnes of drama, secrets and twisty surprises throughout. What really makes this as addictive and engaging a read as it is though is undoubtedly the depth of characterisation, and although the cast are all pretty unlikeable it created a underlying sinister undertone and chilling atmosphere that run the entirety of the plot and emphasises just how deft and talented Ms Seksis actually is. The slow unfurling of everyone's secrets kept me hooked and I was ultimately intrigued at quite how the characters had managed to keep them under wraps for so long. It can often be a minefield deciding which domestic dramas to pick up as there are so many with almost identical plotlines, but I urge you to give this a go if you enjoy the genre as it is compulsive, gripping and absorbing from cover to cover. Recommended. Many thanks to Amazon Publishing for an ARC.

A few things I really like about this book was the neighborhood and some of the characters like Andy. He was super mysterious and I couldn’t figure out what he is hiding, but he still showed so much emotion. I also loved that the chapters were short which made it feel I was going through the book really fast. Going into this book i thought there was going to be a lot of suspense and twists and turns but i was wrong. this book was not suspenseful to me, it did have some twists that i liked and i feel like that’s what kept me from DNF this book. It started out slow and then it gave me a twist but I figured it out so fast that it didn’t even feel like a twist. This book was just a slow read and it only really started to get interesting about 85% through it.

A street with a lot happening and neighbours with secrets. This was an easy read with a few twists thrown in.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

Hope Close by Tina Seskis features three women who live in a lovely neighborhood called Hope Close. The peaceful neighborhood changes with the arrival of a mysterious man named Andy who puts up a big gate, why? What is he hiding? Naturally, the women are curious and want to know what’s going on. But each of them has something they are hiding too…

Synopsis:

Hope Close: a leafy, tranquil backwater in the heart of the English countryside. But when Andy Meyer moves in, it soon becomes clear that picture-perfect homes can hide less-than-perfect lives. Fresh from rehab and with no interest in meeting his neighbours, Andy erects forbidding gates to keep the ghosts of his past—and any prying eyes—at bay.

Next door, in the grandest house, Layla is unhappily married to a much older man and desperately misses her young son, who has been banished to boarding school. When lonely Nicole from over the road confides her own secret heartache to Layla, the two women form an unlikely bond—until one of them attracts the attention of their mysterious new neighbour.

The only person to sense something dangerous about Andy is busybody Joan. But will her suspicions bring her more than she bargains for?

As the past catches up with the residents of Hope Close, it becomes clear that the intriguing new neighbour isn’t the only one with something to hide…

I love books like this where everyone has a secret. The plot was intriguing and I liked the characters. I love it when a book keeps me guessing and I’m not sure how things will play out.

Free if you have Kindle Unlimited, out on March 24!

Hope Close by Tina Seskis
I enjoyed this book, a good level of tension and good plot. There are a good few characters to keep track of but easy enough to remember who is who.
This book kept me guessing right to the end, and was enjoyable.

Enter the world of Hope Close, a small neighborhood of four houses in the bucolic English countryside. The residents are three very different couples linked together only by their unhappy marriages. Into this gloomy world comes Andy Meyer, who buys the only vacant house and may or not be a murderer. He is, however, deeply disturbed.

It’s hard to find a likable character in Hope Close. There’s Layla, beautiful third wife to Charles and mother to small Henry who is sent off to boarding school as the novel begins. That sad act is observed by watchful neighbors. Joan is perhaps the nosiest of the neighbors, a frequent complainer and a true busybody. She and her husband Lionel have lived in Hope Close the longest. Nicole and Ted are the third couple, empty nesters who have little in common now that their children have moved out. The addition of Andy Meyer adds a new focus to the residents’ lives until a disastrous party reveals most of what has been hidden for a long time.

Hope Close reads like a play. There is only one main location, Hope Close, with scenes set in each of the four houses. I think it would easily adapt to the stage and I would love to see that. Although the novel is deliberately slow paced, you will lose yourself in this perfectly described insular little world. I did. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Tina Seskis for this ARC.

Hope Close by Tina Seskis was a fabulous read that had me totally gripped from the start. With a fantastic plot-line and brilliant characters, this was a superb and compelling psychological tale that held me captive throughout.

Set in a cul-de-sac in Surrey, in the heart of the English countryside, the story centres around the small community within. Three women, in particular live there - Layla, Joan and Nicole along with their respective husbands. There is also Andy who is a bit of an oddball that mostly keeps to himself.

What really made this a top-notch read was the depth of characterisation by Tina Seskis. Though the cast were mostly unlikable, it made for an underlying sinister undertone and chilling atmosphere, present for the entirety of the plot.

This amazing twisty tale of family, loneliness, pain and secrets, and how the past generally catches up with you, by new-to-me author Tina Seskis should certainly not be missed. A magnificent read and well worth five stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Amazon Publishing UK via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

“Quiet street. Perfect homes. Not so perfect lives”.
Andy Meyer moves into Hope Close a quiet, tranquil and leafy backwater in the English countryside full of picture perfect homes. However he soon discovers that behind those homes doors are hidden not so perfect lives. Andy is just out of rehab and is not feeling very sociable and so not wanting to meet his neighbours he sets about installing large gates to keep prying eyes out. Andy’s neighbour Layla lives in the grandest house in the close and to those looking in leads a wonderful life, however Layla is unhappy, married to a much older man and missing her son who her husband has sent away to boarding school. Layla forms a bond with fellow Hope Close resident Nicole who is also lonely and dealing with her own heartache. Meanwhile the busy body of the close, Joan thinks there is something dangerous about their new neighbour Andy, but no one is willing to listen to her suspicions. The past catches up with all the residents of Hope Close and it seems Andy is not the only one with a past and something to hide.
This is a wonderfully written novel which brings together a mix of great characters and the author weaves a story around them all. Her descriptions of Hope Close are so detailed that I could picture myself there amongst the residents. I liked how each chapter was given over to one character and written from their point of view. This is a domestic based psychological thriller full of suspense and drama. I was hooked from page one and the storyline had me hooked until the final page. A great read and offered total escapism as I was fully immersed in Tina Seskis’s world of Hope Close. Definitely recommend this fantastic thriller.

Hope Close is a beautiful little neighborhood in the Surrey countryside. Behind the beautiful houses lie ugly truths. Each family is fully fleshed out, secrets and dysfunction coming to the fore. Very readable tale of tight neighborhoods and the people who hide in them. It all comes to a spectacular confrontation while the fallout settles into the whole neighborhood. First time author for me and I look forward to her next!

I really enjoyed this story. A domestic saga with a mystery. Great characters all living in one cup de sac. A curtain twitcher, two disillusioned at home woman and a new mystery man. All have secrets which slowly come out during the story. The story of Andy, the new man living in isolation is enthralling and so cleverly written. I devoured this over the weekend.

I loved The Honeymoon by Tina so was eager to read this book. I found none of the characters particularly likeable and didn’t engage with any of them. There wasn’t a big reveal in my opinion and I felt a bit let down. Nevertheless, worth a read if you like an easy read with curtain twitching characters.

a nice neighborhood in the countryside with only 4 houses & in each lives residents with secrets. the story follows 4 of the neighbors, layla who is unhappily married and misses her son, joan who sticks her nose into everyone’s business and causes trouble, nicole who is lonely, who’s children have left to live their lives, and who’s husband pays no attention to her, and andy, the mysterious new neighbor who built gates around his house to keep his neighbors out.⁣
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going into this book i thought there was going to be a lot of suspense and twists and turns but i was wrong. this book was not suspenseful to me, it did have some twists that i liked and i feel like that’s what kept me from DNF this book. it started out slow and then it gave me a twist but i figured it out so fast that it didn’t even feel like a twist 🤔 this book was just a slow read and it only really started to get interesting about 85% through it.⁣

Hope Close is the story of four very different families living in a cul-de-sac called Hope Close. There is the mysterious new guy who keeps to himself and who is hiding a terrible secret...the lonely wife with the much older husband.....the desperate rich housewife who is obsessed with looking young and who is also hiding a secret from her family and then the older busy body who is spying on everyone and out to make everyone's life miserable. In other words just an ordinary street like you get everywhere in the world.

I found it an easy read and I like the style of writing. I felt like a peeping Tom looking in from the outside and you feel empathy for all the characters. Can we really judge people if we don't know them?

Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Hope Close by Tina Seskis.

Hope Close is a cozy English suburb, quiet and beautiful. But as most neighborhoods, this one is not without it's secrets and long standing feuds. But what really shakes up the community is when a mysterious new neighbor, a single man moved in. He is stand offish and an odd fit for this family community.

But feuds and tensions come to a head one fateful Christmas party. After a scorned neighbor marches over there, outraged for not being invited, she drops a verbal bomb on the whole community.

I did enjoy this one. I love a quirky cast of characters, and I especially love reading about casual interactions because they are so much of what makes up normal life. I was disappointed in the ending. It just didn't have that satisfying click that you would hope for after so much escalation.

Hope Close, by Tina Seskis, is more of a domestic suspense novel versus thriller. The story unfolds in Hope Close, a neighborhood near Surrey, England. The book follows the lives of 4 different neighbors, each with secrets of their own: Nicole, Layla, Joan and Andy. Andy, the new mysterious neighbor, has drawn everyone's attention as he has constructed large gates on his property that shield the view. What is he hiding?

Told from multiple viewpoints-and through more narrative than conversation-the story picks up in the second half of the novel. Without any spoilers, I did not expect one of the revelations that was the catalyst driving Andy to Hope Close.

Thank you to the writer, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Hope Close was another addictively clever domestic drama from Tina Seskis, featuring an engaging group dynamic of characters all living on the same close, all hiding secrets behind closed doors, whose steady lives are disrupted by a new arrival.

This author is truly excellent at bringing people to life on the page, absorbing the reader into their lives and keeping you on your toes as to their actions and consequences. 

Hope Close flows in pace and is intriguing throughout, a people puzzle and an absolute delight to read.

Recommended.

Quite a fun read, it was quite engrossing in most parts.

The story was told in four POVs in a setting of a cul de sac with 4 homes, The Hope Close. A man who kept himself hidden and 3 women with their own stories. I felt like a voyeur while reading the story. And each one had a tale to tell and a secret to hide.

My first book by this author, I liked the way the story flowed. The characters were unlikable, but the writing kept the suspense taut in its prose. It felt atmospheric, a sense of impending danger enveloped me. That kept me well cocooned, I got the feel of the television series The Desperate Housewives to some extent

Emotions of loneliness and sorrow were interspersed with secrets and twists. That made it an engrossing read.

I really enjoyed this book. Domestic with a bit of mystery it kept my attention but not my favourite book by this author.

Ah the neighbors - there always seems to be stories about getting along with the neighbors, or knowing the neighbor’s secrets or finding out your neighbor is a serial killer. These type of stories seem to be all the rage lately. Hope Close is a mediocre telling of such a story. It’s not that I hated reading this book, it’s more that I found it quite predictable. I didn’t really like any of the characters in the book and the ending seemed too contrived.

Hope Close, set in the UK, follows a small cul-de-sac through a stressful few months as secrets, accusations, and tensions come to a head. Layla, Joan, Nicole, and their families, maintain an uneasy truce that seems to be shattered when a mysterious and seemingly unfriendly single man moves into the vacant house on their street.

I enjoyed reading this book, and thought the characters were interesting enough to maintain my attention. I really like this genre, and I feel that this work is a decent example of it. Living in close enough proximity to others such that we feel under a microscope is something that most people can relate to, and therefore is a good topic to write about. At times I thought the pacing was a little slow, and that there was another 10% of the characters' lives that wasn't explored. I wish the book pushed the envelope a little more at times, as the 'reveals' aren't too shocking and I think there was room for more. Overall, I think this was a strong novel from Seskis, and I would consider reading other novels by the author as well.

Note: I received a free ebook copy of Hope Close from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was not aware of the storyline of this book before starting to read but was intrigued following reading one of Tina Seskis' other books, The Honeymoon and loving it.

This is a surbaban drama of a small cup-de-sac not far from London. Only 4 houses occupy the plot. We meet Andy as he moves into the close and discover very quickly that there is more to his history than he wants known publicly. There's the standard neighbourhood busybody, Joan and Layla's family and Nicole and her husband.

Considering there are not that many characters, it did take time to feel invested in any of them. There didn't seem enough differences between Layla and Nicole. Both have got their issues and neither of them seemed particular strong.

There's a strong resemblance between this book and Those People by Louise Candlish but I think Those People just has the edge on this storyline. As readers, we have a sense of impending doom but not really strong enough to keep me engaged.

The ending of the book does tie answers up as expected and is definitely the better part of the book.

I enjoyed bits of this book but found some of it to drag along too much. There were some clever storylines but they didn’t always blend together in the way I think the author was aiming for.

With chapters told from each of the characters point of view, the reader is immersed in Hope Close with its tension, antagonism, grievances, loneliness, unhappiness and secrecy. An uneasy dynamic to say the least.

Hope Close is a place which I would not want to visit in person. It gives off vibes of unfriendliness and unhappiness which makes its name a misnomer. The characters were for the most part unlikable and all had secrets of one sort or another. That being said, I did enjoy reading about this place and these characters which kept me wondering and speculating throughout the book. What was Andy hiding? What would happen when the others found out about his secrets? Would Layla ever find marital happiness? Would Nicole? And what of Joan? Was she a harridan – or someone who deserves our pity?

For the most part, this was a page-turner, though it did lag around the middle. I found myself impatient with the characters at times. The ending was satisfying though ever so slightly anticlimactic.

This is the first title I’ve read by this author, but would definitely read more of her work when the chance presents itself. Recommended to those who enjoy an atmospheric domestic thriller.

3.5 stars rounded UP for NetGalley, Amazon and Goodreads

This book follows the residents of Hope Close, an exclusive development where the neighbours know everything about each other.

It took me a little while to get into the narration of the chapters. Some first person, some third. I found however that the author was skilful in portraying the characters and their narratives were authentic and believable.

The story follows a new resident in the cup de sac who arrives shrouded in mystery. Events then unfold and we see the various links, relationships and mysteries the Close is hiding.

For me, it was interesting enough that I happily finished it. I just wasn’t gripped. There wasn’t enough mystery or suspense for this to be unputdownable. The characters were largely fairly unpleasant so it was hard to invest in them. I just felt like I kept waiting for something big to happen or a big twist or reveal and it never materialised.

This book is ok. It’s not awful, just a bit middle of the road.

Thank you to Netgalley for a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Where to start?! I got so invested in this story that I felt like a resident of Hope Close myself. I could not put this book down and the author kept me hanging on as to who Andy Meyer really was. Caused a lump in my throat at times and had me hooked.

I was quite excited to read this book as I have enjoyed the author's previous books. However I did not find this book as compelling as the previous ones. The plot was great and the characters were quite interesting however there were too many story lines and the pace was quite slow. Still a good book to read but not one for one sitting reads.

Hope Close is a neighborhood with secrets. One neighbor, an older bitter busy body is so obsessed with her neighbors she neglects to realize one fact, a couple who are empty nesters and their child substitute their aging dog. A beautiful young woman who is married to a much older man, their 10 year old son and their cat Lastly, the new mysterious young, handsome man who they are all curious about much to his horror. Hope Close by Tina Seskis is good. I was so caught up in the characters, their lives and secrets I read it in one day. I just could not put it down!

You knew from the beginning that there was a big secret here, but what I enjoyed is that it wasn't one of those secrets that you think you've guessed quite early on. It was a slow burn but as it was such a good story it made it all the better when it was revealed.

The ending is fantastic and brought everything together that had developed throughout this book.
At points, I found the story a little slow, however I’m glad I stuck with it as the ending more than made up for it.
The characters are all well developed and intriguing.
Overall, it’s a very enjoyable read.

Drew me in from the first pages.Well written a book that kept me turning the pages.I f you are a fan of domestic thriller this ones for you,#netgalley#amazonuk

I loved The Honeymoon by Tina Seskis, which I read a few years ago so I was hopeful for this book. I was not disappointed. It was gripping and thrilling and I devoured it. I also loved the front cover!

I really enjoyed this very engaging story about the dysfunctional neighbors of Hope Close who are each dealing with various problems. Each of the four neighbors, Joan the gossip watching from behind her curtains, Layla the young, lonely housewife, Nicole the sad empty nester, and Andy Meyer (not his real name) who is new to the neighborhood tell their stories which eventually leads to a major blowout.

This book was reminiscent of Desperate Housewives and I really liked it. There are many secrets, a lot of drama and there is the mystery to be solved. I found it to be quite enjoyable.
Many thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love Tina Seskis books and this was no exception... warm, well knitted and absolutely perfect. Have recommended this one to my book club friends!

This was a great thriller! A bit confusing with the multiple different story lines but once you are able to get a grasp on it, its really well done.

There are not many houses in Hope Close but all 4 of them contain people with secrets or problems. The only person I liked was Joan, the one you weren’t meant to feel for! The others were a bit odd. This book falls into the domestic drama or dramas category as there was one going on in every household. All the ladies had chapters and the new, mystery person too. Eventually most of the ends were tied but it did take a while to get there. All in all a decent read, with sad bits and parts to giggle at and I enjoyed it.

This is a good domestic thriller with lots of different characters, mainly told through 4 points of view though.

I did enjoy it, a bit like desperate housewives though to be honest and that’s not my bag.

I’ve liked all Tina’s other novels and I did enjoy this one I just didn’t feel that invested in it for some reason?! Weird.

Not a bad read though.

Four houses in a small cul_de_sac; where the households rarely mingle. Jealously, friction and speculation is the norm for these families.
Can these households come together?
This book keeps you guessing until the end chapter.

I did not enjoy this one sadly. It did not hold my attention. I may just not have been in the right place at the time to properly read and enjoy this book.

New mysterious male neighbour shakes the still lives of three women and their families in the small community of Hope Close.

I have loved one of the previous novels of Ms Seskis, so I had big hopes for this one, too. But while the psychological setup and insights into the characters' lives are spot-on and interesting, the pace is slow and the big "revelation comes very, very late in the plot, which makes all the structure of the novel being uneven. And really, even the revelation is not so big and no true catharsis happens. I was also not invested into the lives of the characters, even if I come to understand them - but their lives are truly to still and stuck-up to the routine so it would need much greater (or continuing) shakes for them to come alive.

All in all, this is quiet book which would benefit much from more courage and boldness in approach.
But I will still follow Ms Seskis, as she is good writer. Me not liking one of her novels can not change my appreciation of her skills.

This looked like it was going to be a good psychological thriller, but that wasn’t the case. I found it quite slow and difficult to get into and I didn’t really enjoy it, I’m afraid.

A well written story about a small community and how you never really know what goes on behind closed doors. Interesting and well crafted characters create an amazing story that will keep you up until the early hours unable to stop reading!

This just missed the mark for me sadly. I loved the premise of it, and the writing was wonderful so I had no trouble envisioning Hope Close and it's residents. But I just found the story a bit drab and the ending left me with lots of questions which disappointed me.

Another good domestic thriller out there, focusing specifically on who exactly you neighbours are! It gave me Desperate Housewives vibes, which for some may be a good comparison but for others not.

Whilst there were some good twists and turns, there was almost too many and it made the ending feel a bit underwhelming.

The story is told from multiple POVs
I felt the premise was average at best
I didn’t warm to any of the characters and the ending felt very weak.