You know how Brit Chick Lit became a thing because of Bridget Jones’s Diary? How can that be over 18 years ago? Well I’m seeing a nice trend in Aussie Chick Lit thanks to Liane Moriarty. I mean who didn’t love Big Little Lies?
This book falls neatly into that category and it’s good. Nothing great but an easy read that was interesting.
The problem I had with the book was I never felt connected to any of the characters. There was just a lot going on in all of the families lives to try to make us care about everyone so in the end instead of caring about 1 or 2 of the main women I didn’t care about any of them. Does that make sense?
I can happily recommend this as a good beach read or if you are in the mood for chick lit check this one out.

Another great read by Sally Hepworth-let it be said I have read and enjoyed her other books and this is no exception. Imagine having a seemingly idyllic life in the bucolic setting of Pleasant Court ( kind of sounds like Wisteria Lane, doesn’t it?) where neighbors wave to each other but don’t invade each other’s privacy-not until a single woman suddenly rents a house and the neighbors are skeptical as to why she chose to live there and what her motives are. From that time on Hepworth opens the doors to each of these family’s homes for us and let’s us view for ourselves the secrets and sometimes shocking surprises that lie inside. No spoilers here-this book is too good to share the secrets that abound. I loved it. It is well worth the read. Enjoy!

If you're a fan of soap operas, this book is for you. It called to mind Desperate Housewives, even though I haven't seen very much of it. It's full of juicy drama, surprising twists, and lots and lots of secrets. It was just a bit too much to earn four stars from me, but several of the other ladies I read it with gave it four or five stars. I did enjoy the read, just felt a few things that ended up leading nowhere, only added to up the drama, should have been cut out.

Lovely Isabelle sticks out in her new neighborhood, Pleasant Court. Surrounded by mothers, fathers, and grandparents, she seems to be the only grown-up around without a little one to chase. It seems an odd choice of a neighborhood for a single woman, but it soon becomes clear she's there for a reason. She has lots of questions for her neighbors... but why is she so curious about their lives?

Essie, Ange, and Fran are all women with families who live in the neighborhood. Essie is having a hard time adjusting to life with a newborn, and we soon learn she once left her older child alone at the park when she was a baby and returned without her. Ange seems to be picture perfect, with a successful business and two adorable little boys. You'll see how perfect she is if you just check her Instagram, complete with colorful photos of family life (hashtagged appropriately, of course). Is it a facade, and does she even know it? Fran is another mother of a newborn with an older child, but seems to be literally running away from her problems. She exercises constantly, and seems hesitant to let her husband around the newest member of their family alone, though he seems kind and caring.

A juicy domestic drama with lots of reveals. This book is about getting to know these four women... and while they aren't always likable or relatable to me, they're interesting to read about. This was a Traveling Sisters group read, and I'm glad I got to read and discuss with other bibliophiles at the same time!

I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and St. Martin's Press, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

I started reading this book & immediately thought the story was similar to a Liane Moriarty book. It was a great story filled with real life characters who had real life issues to deal with. I enjoyed that I thought I had the mystery worked out then....bam! Nothing like I thought it would be. The introduction to each character & their relationships was well paced and the climax came at the perfect point. The ending resolved each of the story lines in a satisfying way. I very much enjoyed this book.

The Family Next Door is an excellent, stay up late to read book that begins with a view of the residents of a little close-knit neighborhood. Everything looks great on the surface of this community, but the lives behind the doors are beginning to come unraveled. The story is told through the alternating voices of the women of the circle, but there is one story interspersed with the others that doesn’t fit and isn’t identified. We keep getting pieces of the puzzle, but we aren’t sure where they all fit. It was interesting and suspenseful without being frantic, and it was easy to identify with all the characters. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy for an honest review.

Book was awesome!! Was not expecting to be this good. Everyone should read this book!

A neighborhood of characters with secrets and intertwining dramas make this book one I didn't want to put down and only did so when I had to. Who doesn't wonder about neighbors lives next door and across the street? Essie's story will tear at your heart, her past terrifying event will haunt her and make her husband Ben harbor fears that something might be wrong with her again. Essie's friends Fran, Ange, and Isabelle each have their own way of pretending their lives are perfect but they too harbor secrets. The most shocking secret will be hinted about along the way keeping the suspense mounting page after page. This is a story of motherhood, of love, of betrayal, and acceptance; each characters story told with heartfelt emotion and compassion. I was happy to have received an ARC of this book and found it to be one I truly enjoyed reading.

Who is Isabelle and why has this single woman with no children chosen to rent a house in idyllic Pleasant Court, a family friendly neighborhood teeming with seemingly picture perfect couples and their delightful children.

Neighbors Ange, Fran and Essie, three women with secrets of their own, are more than a little curious about this latest addition to their fold and why she chose this neighborhood in particular. Isabelle too is curious about her neighbors, and has zeroed in on one in particular.

Sally Hepworth spools out a stunning and engrossing examination of grief and survival that examines how memory influences truth in this thought provoking and captivating read that is part mystery, part exploration of family dynamics and a scrutiny of mental health issues. 4 1/2 stars

**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Yet another slam dunk performance by Sally Hepworth with The Family Next Door. The Family Next Door is just another piece of evidence why Hepworth deserves her spot on the New York Times Bestseller list.

The Family Next Door follows an entire community, not just one person. Pleasant Court is the picture perfect life. Big house, two kids or more, white picket fence. The women work or take care of the home and family while the husbands rush off to their jobs each day. What could possibly be wrong? This book is a shocking reminder that looks may be decieving. As you delve into the story, Hepworth gives you glimpses into past mistakes, current issues, and potential upcoming problems that are true for any home or family. There always seems to be something around the corner and you should never think that someone's life is perfect. That is the lesson I felt Hepworth was trying to get across.

While The Family Next Door falls under women's fiction, any true mystery fan would love this book. I love Hepworth's way of drawing you in from moment one. While I am a fan of reading women's fiction, I find that a lot of those novels are slow to start and really get you engaged. Hepworth crushed that preconceived notion for me. From the very first chapter I was intrigued and craving more. Who were these people? What are they hiding? Which flashback goes to which person. I don't love flashbacks, but Hepworth weaved them in a way that brought more mystery to the story without being frustrating or sidetracking from the larger story. They filled gaps that slowly built up to the climax. We get a good glimpse at Isabella, who doesn't fit into the community, is obviously hiding something based on her activities and conversations with people back home, and you spend the entire story begging for just one more piece of information as you try to put the puzzle together. I could not put this book down.

With an entire street of characters to get to know, you are bound to have one that you relate to. I loved Isabella, Essie, and even Ange at times. I could put myself in their shoes during different instances. This book not only had the mystery to be solved, but there were pieces about mental illness, family related issues, a little romance, and so many different aspects that just brought this book above expectations. I cannot praise it enough.

If you enjoy reading any kind of book, The Family Next Door is for you. Everyone can relate to someone and the story is gripping, guaranteeing hours of enjoyment while reading. I am counting the days until Hepworth's next novel. I'll be first in line to get it.

This is a new author for me and I will surely be reading the rest of her books. Neighbors don’t always know what is going on in the lives of others on their street even if it is small street. These woman don’t know all the dark secrets harbored in these other homes. The writing was wonderful and you couldn’t wait to turn the page. Some of the problems going on seemed far fetched although in this day and age anything is possible. It didn’t keep me from enjoying this book, infidelity, illegitimate children, nervous breakdowns and more!

I am such a fan of books where everything is not as it seems and this book had that element in spades. I loved the secrets, and twists and turns that kept me guessing the whole time. And in the end, things were absolutely not what I had guessed them to be and I adored that!

This was a book filled with secrets, lies and deception for sure, but it was also a book about friendship, love and relationships, some good and some bad, but all well written and I found myself totally invested in all if it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good domestic thriller with very well written characters and a story that keeps you turning the pages. I really enjoyed this one.

I received an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Appearances are deceiving and so it is in this picture-perfect neighborhood in the Melbourne suburbs of THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR. This was my first Sally Hepworth book and it won’t be my last, I truly enjoyed the fast-pace and a story that kept me wondering and puzzling about what was happening.

Living in a neighborly manner, Essie, Ange and Fran aren’t really friends but when a new woman moves into the neighborhood the curiosity of her brings them closer. Isabelle eerily knows too much about each woman and her family, she’s mysterious, caught in some fabrications and seems ever-present at odd moments. Nothing is what it appears, and while each woman has her behind-closed-doors secrets and self-doubts, each also ultimately learns that honesty and truth-telling are the route to security and happiness in their lives.

A bit about the book from the back cover copy. Those who know my reviews know I like to dive into a book without knowing much — if anything — about the story and you also know, I leave the quick summary to the publishers so I can get on with my impressions, so here you are:

“Small, perfect towns often hold the deepest secrets.

From the outside, Essie’s life looks idyllic: a loving husband, a beautiful house in a good neighborhood, and a nearby mother who dotes on her grandchildren. But few of Essie’s friends know her secret shame: that in a moment of maternal despair, she once walked away from her newborn, asleep in her carriage in a park. Disaster was avoided and Essie got better, but she still fears what lurks inside her, even as her daughter gets older and she has a second baby.

When a new woman named Isabelle moves in next door to Essie, she is an immediate object of curiosity in the neighborhood. Why single, when everyone else is married with children? Why renting, when everyone else owns? What mysterious job does she have? And why is she so fascinated with Essie? As the two women grow closer and Essie’s friends voice their disapproval, it starts to become clear that Isabelle’s choice of neighborhood was no accident. And that her presence threatens to bring shocking secrets to light.”

While I would definitely recommend this book and found it a great read, I did find myself wondering why none of these women had truer friends. Outside of their neighborly socializing, it was made clear that they didn’t know each other that well, that they weren’t really friends, and there was no one else who filled that space for any of them. We need our girlfriends, we need other women to lean on and chat with and to analyze stuff together so this distinction between friends and neighbors — a distant, arms-length relationship dictated only by proximity rather than joy in being together — struck me as either sad or unrealistic.

Despite that point, I found the book chock full of truisms. Certain phrases and images portray family life so vividly that I highlighted them and laughed remembering the days of early motherhood exhaustion.

A few of my favorites:
“Fran had one of those powerful waves of love reserved for parents of children who are asleep.”
“There was truly nothing sexier than a man who did the dishes.”
“There was something tortuous about the dinner, bath, and bed routine — not least because it had to be done every single day.”
“When you had children at home, you didn’t waste your alone-time looking at other people’s babies.”

I found myself chuckling and nodding at the spot-on descriptions that all mothers can relate to no matter how old their children are now.

Questions also percolated as I read: Does that many marriages have these quite significant fractures? Do married couples really not communicate more openly? Is everyone in real life keeping so many secrets? Am I naive or is this reality? Nothing I like more than book-inspired pondering and musings.

Reminiscent of fellow Australian author, Liane Moriarty’s, style and twisty-mystery plot, THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR had me up late into the nights reading with “just a little more” becoming hours and chapters. The premise will hook you and the storytelling will keep you reading and wondering until the very end.

I loved this book. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. With so many surprising twists, it made it hard to put this book down. I unfortunately had many interruptions while reading this book (you know, life). If it hadn't had been for that, I probably would have devoured this book in a day or two. Great characters, very relatable, and a fantastic storyline. I thought I had a few of the women from Pleasant Court figured out but boy was I wrong. This was a very gripping story, so many surprising secrets in each family, and I liked how it was told in the point of view of all of the female characters. I can't believe I have not read any other of Sally Hepworth's books. The writing in this book was fabulous, so I definitely will be reading more of her books. I highly recommend THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR.

This books drew me in right away. As th3 book progresses one feels like there is drama but it all wraps up in the end. This is not about one family but about an entire neighborhood. The different trials and tribulations each family goes through.

An enjoyable fast read of neighborly friendships and many unexpected secrets. Living in a lovely street in the suburbs these young mothers, harboring their own challenges, while putting on a brave face, and feeling as if the "grass is greener" at the neighbor's home. Many twists and turns, made this book relatable and interesting. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for this early edition e-copy for my honest opinion.

This is the first Sally Hepworth book I have read, and it won't be the last. She is a gifted storyteller who has spot on instincts to keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing at the plot twists. I am usually good at seeing what is about to happen, but not with The Family Next Door.

The setting is in a quiet, family-oriented neighborhood where life is seemingly perfect until you look deeper inside each home. The characters where developed perfectly to the point that I thought I knew them, and then a shocking reveal happened. How well do you know your family, friends, or neighbors? This novel makes you questions all of that.

You won't be disappointed in reading this book.

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All Opinions are my Own.

This story revolved around the theme that everyone has a secret. It's a fast-paced, intriguing novel that centers around the lives of five women and their families in the neighborhood of Pleasant Court. The story takes you behind closed doors of all five women, the secrets they are carrying and how their family and their future can slip away in one moment should those secrets come to live. Each chapter took you through another woman's journey and how they intertwined. There is a suspense factor throughout, especially when a single woman moves into this family-centered neighborhood. I could not put this book down and frankly flew through it because I could not wait to find out what was going to happen. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a great read with strongly written characters and enjoy the dynamics of family drama! Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced copy.

What do you get when you mix a little Desperate Housewives with Big Little Lies? You get The Family Next Door! This is a jaw-dropping, twisty tale that will have you gasping at every page.
Ange, Fran, Essie, and Essie's mom, Barbara all live on Pleasant Court. The ladies are friendly but not too friendly so they know each other's business. That is until Isabelle moves in the house across the street from Essie. Isabelle is single and gorgeous. The ladies are skeptical at first that she may try to steal their husbands but then they are convinced she is gay. Why else would a single, beautiful lady move onto a street full of families?
As Essie and Isabelle's friendship deepen the secrets start to unravel and come out much to everyone's surprise. Is the darkest secret of all the one most hidden or the one hidden in plain sight?
Come for a visit to Pleasant Court and find out for yourself.
I have this on my to-be-read shelf for months and am kicking myself for waiting so long. I found myself up way too late night and getting up extremely early just to finish this book. I've heard Sally Hepworth compared to Liane Moriaty and the critics are right. I can see this made into a mini-series for TV.
The story starts out with Essie leaving her newborn baby, Mia, in her pram in the local park. Essie comes home after having coffee at the local coffee shop and her mother Barbara asks where is the baby. Thankfully Mia is ok but Essie is not and spends some time in the hospital healing from post-partum depression. Essie fears this will return when she has her second baby, Polly. The story picks up from here and goes in a direction I never expected. My jaw flopped open at one point of the book and I am not sure I closed it until after I closed the book.
If you are looking for something to read until Big, Little Lies comes back on the air you need to pick up this book from you favorite bookseller or library. You will be happy you did.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy in exchange for a review in my own honest words.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

It’s safe to say that I am a very big fan of Sally Hepworth. Her books normally hit me in the gut, make me ugly cry and then leave me feeling emotionally satisfied. However, The Family Next Door is different than Sally’s previous books- more mystery/suspense (but still loaded with great characters!)

I tip my hat to Sally- because as I was reading the book over the summer- I was captivated by where she was heading with this story.

I’ve noticed other reviewers comparing to Liane Moriarty books and shows like Desperate Housewives. The comparisons are good because The Family Next Door def has those kinds of feelings- but it’s better- because you have Sally’s heartfelt writing style (there are some scenes that you just want to scream because the tension is so high- and yet her writing style almost makes you relax)



What I liked:

The cover! It looks like a perfect morning, on a perfect street, in a perfect neighborhood. Who knew there were so many secrets in this one area?

Essie. After the first chapter, I wondered how many secrets she was hiding!

How Isabelle’s arrival just blew up the neighborhood. She’s not like the others, but she is SO interesting.



Bottom Line: If the domestic suspense books that are coming out lately have been your cup of tea, settle in for The Family Next Door. It’s def one of my faves.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T by St.Martins Press for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*



**The Family Next Door is a March 2018 #FuturisticFriday selection from Traveling With T.**