I have to admit I struggled a bit with this one. But, maybe it is just me...I certainly do think that this book is better than most of the rom coms I've read lately because of its focus on female friendship. It really shows how great friendship can be found in an unusual places, and that we have to cherish it. It also talks about the importance of a mental health being and problems with depression.

A big thank you to NetGalley for a free sample of this book in exchange for an honest review.

34 year old Ginny is stuck in her job and in a one sided relationship. Her best friend is moving away and her only main interest is her 55 year old neighbour, Cassie, who was once a big actress. When Ginny loses her boyfriend and her job she befriends Cassie and both of the women have something to work towards.
This was such a lovely read and I really enjoyed it. Look forward to reading Nicola’s next book. Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I find this book to be really entertaining and an easy to read and get into writing, The story is so nicely done and moving, how two different people can become friends even if there is an age gap between them. I think is a story most people would enjoy and see themselves at some point in the story or relate to any character.

I enjoyed that the chapters were short even if the book was a little long. I enjoyed the book, most of it, but there were times were the main character, Ginny, just frustrated me and that took me out of the story.

This book was a joy to read. The first chunk of the book made me laugh so much. I loved Ginny. She’s so real, overwrought, anxious and utterly clueless about what she really wants from life. Does she love Nick or Jack? Does she want kids or not? Does she want to be a writer or not? I loved the way her friendship with Cassie develops. They are very different people and clash at first but soon find common ground. I loved the scenes where Ginny goes to her creative writing classes. I’ve attended a few of these myself and Ginny’s experience is spot-on. Things take a dark, unexpected turn and I was crying my eyes out for the last few chapters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for my arc!

I requested this book after reading the description and loving the sound of it, it was also said to be a good read for people who loved The Flatshare (one of my favourite reads from last year) so I thought this would be perfect!

The book tells the story of Ginny, a 34 year old, who although wasn't at the same point in life as the majority of her friends, she was having a great time. She had a boyfriend, a well paying job in PR and was living with her best friend. That was until her best friend got offered an amazing opportunity in New York, her new flat mate seemed to come as a two for one package and to make it even worse she walked in on her boss in bed with her boyfriend. Obviously making work a now no go area.

Like everyone Ginny spends a lot of time on social media but that does nothing for her other than stress her out as everyone is getting engaged, buying a house or having a baby.

Ginny then makes an unexpected friend, especially living in and growing up in London where you don't talk to your neighbours, the lady who lives in the flat below. None other than once Movie Star Cassie Frost! Cassie has been struggling in the media recently, especially after a stint in I'm A Celebrity but after the two spending time together Cassie sees that Ginny could help her out, and in turn help herself by getting paid as Cassie's PR rep. 

The story then follows the two women as they struggle through life, making both good and bad decisions along the way. 

There is romance in this book but it isn't the focus which is really refreshing. The focus here I think, is on making yourself better, not focusing on "time limits" and others, and on the importance of friendship, even if it is in the most unlikely places.

I love Contemporary books and i dont read them enough and every time i do i remember why i love them - so i was so excited to be on the blog tour for this.



We meet Ginny, and she is having a bit of a tough time, she started out living with her best friend, having a boyfriend and was ready to settle down but instead ends up single and with her best friend moving away as well as loosing her job after throwing a plant at her boss - life suddenly isnt great. Then we meet Cassie who also had it all, fame, fortune and a career but after going on a reality show she ends up a hate figure and in need of some good PR.



The pair settle into an unlikely friendship as they try to navigate the disaster that is there lives we see their bond strengthen. The Neighbours is overall a real feel good read but it certainly has some sad and emotive moments that has your heart hurting for the characters. It felt so realistic and i could visually see it playing out in front of me like a film.



The characters were well written and they were flawed and real, they had strong personality traits which instantly allows the reader to get to know them some more. The supporting cast were equally as strong and you really want to help the pair get their lives back together and get the ending they are dreaming of.



A fantastic contemporary read that all readers really should be picking up!

Unexpected Bonds.....
When circumstances throw two unlikely women together an unexpected bond is formed. A rather delightful exploration of life, people, friendships and finding joy when and where you least expect. Entertaining and heartwarming, written with empathy and understanding and laced with humour.

As far as debut novels go this is a roaring success on every level. From character creations through to narrative choices this book has it all in spades. I was pulled head first into this thoughtful tale from the word go and I didn't want it to ever come to an end, which says it all really.

The writing was warm and witty and I was welcomed in like an old friend. The narration provided a smorgasbord of themes and topics to sink my teeth into and the pages seemed to turn themselves to reveal a frank look at life, love and friendship that we can all relate to on some level.

This book boats a fine ensemble of characters to be proud of and I loved them all in equal measure. Ginny was an all out success as far as leading ladies go. On first introduction her life is about to hit a downward spiral into the the pit of dispair taking my heartfelt sorrow with her. Life can be cruel at times and when every area of your life has hit a bump in the road it's hard to push through. But what a comeback! Silently witnessing Ginny claim back her life was an utter joy, I was right there for every tear, laugh and scream of frustration and I can't think of anyone better to have at the helm of this story.

But my, hand on heart, favourite element of this story has to be the unlikely and unique friendship between Ginny and Cassie . Chalk and cheese doesn't even come close to initially describe this pair, but somehow it seems to gel and work to create some of the most magical moments seen in this story.

Nicola Gill's writing was not afraid to touch on the darker elements that life can throw in your direction and this narrative took some deeply moving turns throughout its journey. Depression effects more people than we likely know of and this book took on this issue with a frank and honest approach to remind us all that we're in this journey together and we are not alone.

The Neighbours is an all out successful story of life, love and friendship that will warm your heart and move you beyond measure. I loved each and every word on those pages and can't wait to see what Nicola Gill brings to the table next.

Cassie and Ginny are neighbours. 55 and 35 respectively very un alike in ways, attitudes and characteristics but both are tenacious, both underlying the frivolity are good people and this is their story. Of hopelessness, despair, depression, relationships, the difficulty in finding (and keeping) a partner and their hopes for their futures.

It was a mish mash of feelings and basic living and trying to come to terms with life and come to terms they did - eventually. Ginny's basic fear of ending up alone without a family is shared by many and many would be able to empathise with her in this story though at times she annoyed me no end. Cassie is someone as a neighbor you'd steer well clear of - she was a pain in the butt but Ginny obviously saw beyond the façade.

The story was an excellent one and I will be looking out for this author in the future as well.

The Neighbours is a very amusing and poignant book which deals with friendship and relationships in a brilliant and touching way.
Ginny, aged 34, is feeling left behind when all of her friends seem to be moving on and have much better lives. She can’t even get her boyfriend, Jack, to commit to dinner plans hours in advance... Ginny feels her life is falling apart when she catches Jack in a very compromising position with her boss, the perfect Annabel, who is wearing bright pink underwear.
This event forces Ginny to start on a new path which includes befriending her neighbour, Cassie, after binge watching her on ‘I’m a Celebrity’. Cassie appears on the show in an attempt to revive her career as an actress. Cassie and Ginny couldn’t be more different, and not just due to the 20 year age gap, but their friendship develops beyond that of just neighbours and forms the basis of the storyline of this book.
As Ginny moves on from the shock of what she discovers with Jack and Annabel, how will she manage? Will she find another love? Will she find another job? Will her friendship with Cassie endure, despite their obvious differences?
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Neighbours is the kind of 'feel good' book I like to read after a string of books about murder. Two women, polar opposites living as neighbors. Unlikely friendships, ridiculous co-workers, etc. It's all there.

Read this with a cup of tea on a rainy day.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Neighbours is a great debut for Nicola Gill and a read that got better and better the more I delved in.
Ginny and Cassie are neighbours, Ginny is in PR, 34 and in the middle of a relationship that’s going nowhere, Cassie is famous, an actress that has just made herself unpopular to the public after her antics in a reality show. Two very different people that make a really good friendship..... eventually!!
I really enjoyed this and loved both main characters, Ginny, caring and one of life’s worriers and Cassie who is bitchy and thinks everything should be about her. Clinical depression was a part of this book and was written about well with even a few does and dont’s in there that I didn’t know about. But all in all it is an uplifting journey with a few dead ends along the way, just as life is not a smooth path this reflected that well.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Avon Books UK for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

The chemistry between the two neighbors is unmatched in many recent books! What seems like the two would have nothing in common quickly evolves into a remarkable friendship that kept me turning the page well into the night.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

I had high hopes for this book but i struggled as i didn't like any of the characters they moaned and moaned .

Every once in a while, a book surprises you. Not just because it’s that’s good, or that strange, but sometimes, just quite simply… Because it goes above and beyond what you thought it would do. And that’s certainly the case in The Neighbours!

The story
Meet Ginny, 34, and Cassie, 55. Neighbours, and (very) unlikely friends.

Some women have it all. Others are thirty-four, renting a tiny flat alone because they recently found their long-term boyfriend in bed with their boss. Unfortunately, the latter applies to Ginny Taylor. Single and jobless, Ginny is certain her life can’t get any worse. But then she encounters her downstairs neighbour for the very first time…
Cassie Frost is a woman who had it all – she was a once-loved actress, but a recent stint on reality TV has rocketed her to online infamy. She’s suddenly become a national hate figure – and she desperately needs a new publicist. And Ginny is a publicist who desperately needs a job… but can she be persuaded to work for the uber-difficult, excessively prickly woman that lives below her floorboards?

Because sometimes – just sometimes – bad neighbours become good friends…

The opinion
Now, let’s start out with the obvious: Ginny? Not the most likeable of characters. That’s to say – she starts the novel quite passive, seemingly upset that good things don’t just happen to her. And let’s be real… In the beginning of this book? A lot of good things don’t happen to her.

Opposed to Ginny and her passive approach to life, Cassie has always chosen to be more proactive. Suffice it to say, their two ways of life don’t necessarily get along too well. Watching these woman grow to appreciate each other, however, made for at least half of my enjoyment of this book.

Something I’ve mentioned before is that I really like the concept of a bildungsroman and how it can be re-interpreted in modern literature. Nicola Gill certainly managed to do that, in a way, as she follows Ginny and Cassie and allows them to grow. As Ginny says herself, towards the end: with everything she’s been through, she’s grown stronger. Gill manages to portray that search for herself and her growth in an incredibly natural manner.

The rating: 4,5/5
If you’re in need of a book that features strong women, strong growth and a romance that is really captivating, but doesn’t claim all the attention, The Neighbours is just the book for you! (Goodreads)

-Saar

Relaxing, feel good, enjoyable read with nice characters. Total 'feel good' time if you want an easygoing happy book.
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

Ginny is struggling in life and love, in a job that is not her dream and in a relationship with a cad. Until she meets Cassie, her neighbor, who forces her to look inside herself to find what she really wants.

I enjoyed the love/hate relationship between Ginny and Cassie. Cassie was hard to like, but Ginny never wanted to give up on her. In the process, Ginny gains confidence in herself. I like how REAL Ginny is. She is as believable as she is flawed. I would enjoy having her as my neighbor.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for a review. It took me awhile to get to reading this but I finally did and I thought it was pretty good. A little slow but I got through it. The other did a good job at describing the main characters and describing how their life went, Ginny kind of got on my nerves though at times and complained a lot so sometimes she got on my nerves throughout the book. It was a light and pretty quick read but I probably wouldnt recommend it to others. Ending was okay but the whole story I felt could have been better.

The story of an unlikely bond between Ginny, a 34 year old, aspiring author and publicist and Cassie, her downstairs neighbor, a 55 year old actress, who is suddenly being hated on by every else post her stint on a reality TV show.

The book starts off promisingly with good humor but sadly doesn’t end the same way.

The cover and the synopsis give this book a light-hearted, rom-com feel that is supposed to be a stress reliever, however to the contrary it wasn’t just that, midway the story got too heavy, dark and sort of lost the point by being all over the place.

I would have preferred to read more about Cassie instead of Ginny’s loser ex, also, Ginny was more annoying than likable and the story had great potential albeit wasted by poor editing.

A good few chapters should have been edited out to give the story a sharper edge and reduce the anger caused by Ginny’s poor decisions plus the story has too many characters and honestly I was confused a few times about who was supposed to be who?

The book also deals with infidelity and depression.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

When I started the book, I felt that it was going to be a good read. But sadly, by the end of the first quarter I was just not enjoying it.
I felt that the story didn’t seem to flow and just jumped around. I couldn’t warm to the characters.
I was provided with a copy in exchange for an honest review, so I proceeded to finish reading it. But unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it and won’t be recommending it to anyone.