Getting straight to the point with this one - there were some elements of a good story in this BUT I could not bring myself to like any of the characters in this book. The plot is based on a multiple, weird and intersecting relationships that were hard to believe. A husband and wife, Adam and Sarah, having secret affair/liaisons with a younger couple one of whom is their neighbour, Ali, and the other who is the son, Kemp, of the strange principal, Evie, at the school in which Sarah is a teacher.
The story is told from the perspective of each of these quite selfish and unlikeable characters. In the midst of this is a baby, Maddie, for whom Adam is a resentful stay at home Dad, who has been fired after getting caught masturbating in his office at work.
I could go on, but I won't. Being a middle aged working mother, I am probably in the wrong demographic for this book and others may quite enjoy it. I, however, am unable to recommend the book.
Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

The story follows Adam, a once-successful professional who finds himself navigating the challenges of stay-at-home fatherhood after losing his job. As he grapples with sleepless nights and the overwhelming responsibilities of caring for his baby, Adam also begins to witness the unraveling of his marriage to his wife, Sarah. Amidst the turmoil, one person captures Adam's attention—the enigmatic and alluring neighbor, Ali.

Lane expertly navigates the complexities of Adam's growing obsession with Ali, drawing readers into a web of desire, secrets, and unspoken longings. Adam's seemingly innocent fixation takes a dark turn when he witnesses Ali's ex-boyfriend, Crispin, acting suspiciously near her home. When Ali goes missing and fails to show up for work, Adam's fear deepens, leading him down a treacherous path of deception and deceit as he becomes determined to uncover the truth.

Set against the backdrop of a seemingly idyllic suburban town, "The Neighbors We Want" paints a chilling portrait of hidden lives and fractured relationships. Lane skillfully reveals the myriad secrets concealed behind closed doors, forcing Adam to confront uncomfortable truths about those around him—and himself. As he delves deeper into the mystery, Adam discovers that no one is truly what they seem, and the town's façade of normalcy hides a disturbing undercurrent of darkness.

Lane's narrative is a masterclass in suspense, deftly crafting a tension-filled atmosphere that keeps readers guessing until the very end. The author skillfully explores themes of trust, betrayal, and the lengths people will go to protect their fragile realities. As Adam's pursuit of the truth intensifies, he grapples with the realization that he may not be able to trust even those closest to him.

"The Neighbors We Want" is a riveting exploration of human nature, desire, and the destructive power of secrets. Tim Lane's evocative prose and intricate storytelling create a psychological rollercoaster that will leave readers on the edge of their seats, questioning the motives and intentions of every character. This gripping thriller is a captivating exploration of the dark corners hidden beneath the façade of suburban life.

Adam, Sarah, Ali and Kemp (or, at times Crispin), Four people, lots of tangles, Adam's a stay at home dad who becomes obsessed with his neighbor Ali, whose ex Kemp is having an affair with his wife Sarah. Got that? All four of them tell this story but it's difficult, at times, to keep everyone straight, Adam's kind of stalking Ali and when she disappears, he's convinced Kemp had something to do with it, There are some chuckle worthy asides here but this isn't as suspenseful as I'd hoped and honestly, no one is really likable. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this read but I wish that it hadn't taken so long for some thrilling to happen. The neighborhood itself was interesting as well as the people in it. I enjoyed the eclectic cast of characters The last 10% of the book was by far the most exciting.

After reading the description, I couldn't wait to read this book. However, this book fell flat for me. I didn't feel the suspense that this book was supposed to provide. I had a hard time maintaining interest in the book and had o read it over the course of multiple sessions with other books snuck in between.

Oh this one is weird... not in the best way but not in the worst? Just a little odd. Uncomfortable? I genuinely don't know how to talk about this.

This is a strange book. I don't know exactly how I'd even describe it other than that it is not for me.

I found the prose to be messy and the plot just couldn't keep me invested. I think it might need some more editing before release.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review.

A neighborhood suspense novel centering around Adam, his wife Sarah, their neighbor Ali, and her ex Crispin.

My biggest problems with this is that it didn’t feel suspenseful. It was more the story of these relationships with forced suspense. I had a bigger problem though with some of the ways the female characters were written by the male author. None of the characters were really likable, which made the little suspense feel unimportant.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

This book has some twists that make you re-examine your own thoughts. Seeing the story through the eyes of different characters was interesting, and made you want to understand each one. I do wish there were more consequences for some of the characters. Overall, once you can get to the actual storyline (and not all of the background needed), you can't put it down! I do like how Evie changes throughout the book. Tim depicted postpartum depression in Sarah, which makes you feel for her.

This book was really fun to read! I enjoyed the writing and the storyline and can’t wait to read more from this author!

Lots of unsavory characters that I had a hard time following. This one was not for me . I was expecting a thriller but it was more about their lives.

This was right up my lane!!!! New parents Adam and Sarah are having a hard time adjusting. So0o--they each seek out distractions ion their lives. Adam is obsessed with the young lady next door and Sarah is distracting herself with. a racy affair. This all winds up tangles in a viscous knot!

It is a fun read--you won't like the characters but you will love the story!

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
I have not read anything by this author before but came to like the writing style! It took me a little bit to get into the story but once I was about 50% in, I thoroughly started enjoying it and couldn't put it down trying to figure out what was happening. While the protagonist was not a likeable character in my opinion, he still fit perfectly into the storyline and made the book interesting. I am assuming that we are not supposed to like him. Thinking about it, I have to say that I actually hated him! I also don't know if we are supposed to feel sorry for him or not like him? But, coming from a woman who has raised children, I would say, definitely no sympathy from my end!! He sounded like a 'whiny' man who only wants the joy of being around his child without any of the work that goes into taking care of the baby.
While I am sure some enjoyed the repetitiveness of thoughts going through the protagonist's mind, it actually annoyed me. I don't need to hear something over and over to understand what is going on.
I would also like to point out that this book by far is not a thriller nor can it qualify as a mystery. It definitely does not fit into either category.
Overall, I would give it 3 🌟 as it did keep my interest; however I don't see recommending it on to people that love a good nail-biting thriller or mystery.

I really struggled to stay engaged! The writing style was difficult and distracting and the plot seemed all over the place. I had such high hopes after reading the synopsis however the book fell flat. The suspense and tension felt a little too forced for me.

There was weird obsessions and the book just took a really strange turn. I felt slightly uncomfortable about the racism & didn't like how the author went about it.

Thank you to netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and Tim Lane for providing the ARC to review.

This is a multiple POV with the timeline jumping back and forth. I truly enjoy books like this. You slowly get pieces and are intentionally confused. The Neighbors We Want is a fascinating play on the relationships we have, in all their different facets, and how intertwined our lives are to one another. The story kept me constantly wanting to see how it played out. I feel the twists were kind of obvious, but still fun. The story felt a little flat to me. The writing had a fun little play with repetition within the characters' internal monologs. I feel there were a few pieces that were superfluous and ultimately left things unfinished. If they weren't there, it would not have taken anything from the story, but with their addition, it seemed sloppy. Overall, I enjoyed the book and was a fun little read and I look forward to reading more books from Tim.

“The Neighbors We Want” is Tim Lane’s upcoming domestic suspense novel. This story focuses on a stay at home dad, Adam, who has started to go a bit stir crazy at home after unexpectedly losing his job. Adam’s relationship with his wife is floundering, which causes him to take an intense interest in his neighbor Ali. When Ali starts missing work and appears to be MIA, Adam realizes that he may have seen someone hanging around her house at night.

This book is told by multiple neighbors in different point of views. There’s definitely a slow burn element to it, and it could definitely be considered a ‘popcorn read’. This was an enjoyable book, and definitely a quicker read at around 270 pages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the DRC of this novel. “The Neighbors We Want” will be published on September 5th, 2023.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

The cover of this book caught my eye off the bat.
This book had me insanely hooked from the start. I mean, how often do we have a male stay-at-home-dad main character to start with?
We meet Adam, who was fired from his last job and is currently taking over diaper duty fulltime. His relationship with his wife Sarah is also falling apart for a few reasons. But Adam has a secret... you see, he's OBSESSED with his neighbor Ali. It's that very obsession that leads to him seeing Ali's ex creeping around her house one night... and she disappears right after.
The book is full of interesting twists and a great storyline. Read it.

The Neighbors We Want is written in one of those psycho stream of consciousness styles. Everybody in the story, except maybe Ali, seems to have an issue keeping them on the brink of something horrible. I actually feel a bit sorry for Crispin Kemp who is the villain and said to be an unlovable person who becomes 'too much' when his fascinations become obsessions.

Adam hardly seems like the kind of new father I'd want to trust with my baby and his wife Sarah is not your average school teacher. Or a model mother. The twisted tale of these neighbors and their relationships unfolds at a good pace that keeps you reading. All four characters play a narrative role, with each chapter being told by one of the four neighbors. There are also a few chapters told by Kemp’s mother, who also happens to be Sarah’s principal. Still with me? If you can keep up with who the characters are, who they’re married to, who they’re sleeping with (not necessarily one and the same) and what their motivations are, then this book is worth sticking around for. The plot is right up there with a soap opera storyline (or a soft-core porn, but with limited sex) so it’s chock full of drama and intrigue and will keep you engaged.

I wouldnt call this a thriller, and thats what I went in thinking it was. The ending was a bit disappointing for me and affected my rating.

Well written and a quick read! This was suspenseful & psychological. Perfect for fans of B.A. Paris & Mary Kubica. I plan to recommend in the library. Thank you for the advanced copy!