
Member Reviews

'The Ex Next Door' is a light-hearted read with quite a simple yet humorous plot at the centre. Esme is forced to move to temporary accommodation and finds herself living next to her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. From here, Esme is forced to confront whether she should be back with her ex or not. I did find this entertaining and I enjoyed it for the most part, however it was too long. There was not really enough meat to the plot for the length. It could have done with an additional plot thread or being slightly shorter in length. Having said this, I enjoyed getting to know Platt's quirky characters, they certainly brought some entertainment, and I found the plot to be funny and an easy read. Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for an advance copy. |

Warm, romantic and different, in the very best way. This author has woven more than a hint of magic through the pages. I absolutely adored it! |

Esme found out that her next door neighbor is her ex and his new girlfriend, Morgan. It comes as a shock to her as she still holds the feeling for him despite they have “separated’ many years ago. Esme has never got over the break up with Elliot. It evoked memories and feelings to Esme and seeing her, Elliot pretend not to know her at all. As the story progress, I kept having the tension reading their story when both Elliot and Esme decided to keep their former relationship a secret. This book is about life, relationship and personal growth which Esme learnt about herself and what she really wanted. I have the impression that Morgan will end up with Dave, Esme’s partner at the beginning and did not expect the ending to be as such. Overall, it is an enjoyable read to me. |

I don’t necessarily believe “An utterly charming and funny romance” was a good description of this book. I was thinking it would be a quick witty delight but in reality there were deep toned issues with the “ex” that makes this more thought provoking. I don’t think I even saw much humor until I was about 60% in- once I really got a better grasp on the characters. The love interest comes in too quickly and that felt more shallow- would have enjoyed more depth of their relationship in the beginning. All in all I enjoyed the book once I got over the beginning half but it was a slow start. Thank you @NetGalley and @Canelo for the free arc! |

A fun read with a lot of depth.. I really loved this book Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book. |

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from start to finish. In places its a little slow but if you stick with it, its a really good read. For anyone who likes a bit of romance and comedy all rolled into one this is for you. The main characters Esme and Elliott are both well written and described, I am a stickler for opinions whilst reading and disliked Elliot from the start! The under written character of David, Esme's business partner, I wanted more from and I enjoyed the comedy paragraphs from the neighbour of the gallery. The storyline itself is engaging and whilst reading this book the house opposite myself and my fiancé had gone up for sale, yes we have had the discussion of what if one of our ex's moved in. My finances response was that ours would soon be up for sale! The ending, well I can't say at any point did I see that coming! A perfectly hidden story line that is literally not bought out until the final chapters. However, I must admit, an ending I did want for Esme due to my dislike for Elliot. I would recommend this to any reader who enjoys chick-lit or light hearted romance books. |

Such a fun read, with more depth than a lot of silly romance stories. A story of a girl figuring out her feelings for old and new beaus. |

Thankyou to Netgalley, the publisher and Jo Platt for allowing me to read an ARC. I found this book to be very funny and had very likeable characters. I enjoyed the writing style of the author. I found this book to be super cute. I am big fan of short chapters so that is a plus for me. This is my first book from this author and will read more for her in the future. Thankyou 3.5 stars |

"The Ex Next Door" by Jo Platt is a charming romantic comedy that explores the complicated dynamics between exes. After a bad break-up, Ellie is forced to move back in with her parents, only to discover that her ex-boyfriend Ben now lives next door. Despite their mutual animosity, Ellie and Ben are drawn together by their shared experiences and soon find themselves rekindling their romance. Platt's writing is witty and engaging, with well-drawn characters and an engaging plot. The novel is a perfect escape read, filled with humor, heart, and a satisfying happily-ever-after. Overall, "The Ex Next Door" is a delightful and enjoyable read that will leave readers feeling warm and fuzzy inside. |

This was an enjoyable read- not a heap of action or plot, but I liked how well-drawn the supporting characters were. The miscommunication in this novel was pretty outrageous- so many assumptions made or misinterpretations- but overall it was quite wholesome and a really quick read. |

Jo Platt is superb at writing those kind of feel good stories that you know are going to take you along for the ride and leave you somewhere great. I really enjoyed how she explored all the various relationships featured in this book and gave them all satisfying resolutions that didn't seem forced or contrived. I don't read much in the way of chick lit, but Jo Platt is one of those authors I'll make an exception for because I know she'll always deliver. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC without obligation. |

Everyone’s worst nightmare. Having your ex next door in a place where you run into them and all the bad memories on a daily basis. Impossible to escape. Even worse? Your ex with their new partner next door. This book took a long time for me to be invested in and around 60% of the book was completed before everything seemed to come together. Perhaps because in a very bad relationship and breakup I didn’t like who I became but when I was reading about this main character it reminded me of myself and not in a good way. |

I found this funny and brilliant from the beginning. I loved the main character Esme. And I found the build up story was great in leading to unexpected turns that the story took. I really liked how quiet and sweet David was. The side characters were also great and really funny, I absolutely loved both Cass and Lloyd. Two of my favourite quotes are actually from Cass and Lloyd; “Ok, so his cooking was great, but the service was crap, if you know what I mean.” - Cass “She’s always telling me that I wouldn’t understand body language if someone punched me in the guts and kicked me in the goolies.” - Lloyd |

The story starts when Esme has to relocate from her flat due to a leak in her apartment to find the new cottage to live temporarily. Her neighbour next door is no other person but her ex boyfriend Elliot who is living with his girlfriend. This brings up old memories of Elliot’s and Esme’s relationship and soon the pair are hiding their past relationship from others and meeting up to rekindle on old times together. My overall thoughts of this book was that it was good. I thought this book would be a second chance romance but I was pleasantly surprised. The secondary characters in this book were perfect in particularly David and Lloyd. I loved reading about Esme’s character as a strong woman who co-owned her own gallery with David and the the different relationships that ran throughout the book. |

I absolutely loved this book. It hooked me and kept me turning pages until I was done. Finished it in two days! The character development was strong, and the premise was unique enough that it didn't feel like anything else I've read. |

Enjoyable read, interesting storyline, easy going, characters likeable, good paced book, 4 out of 5 stars! |

Thanks to Canelo, Netgalley and the author for an ARC of this book - I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily. This was such an entertaining and delightful read - and not at all what I expected it to be when I started reading. I loved all the characters, especially Esme's friend Cass and Lloyd, the butcher next door. There's a lot of laughs in this story, but I found it really touching as well. It's about seeing the goodness in those around you and mainly yourself. The story unfolds at exactly the right places and I put the book down after reading it with a huge smile onm y face. Definitely a feel-good book. |

An enjoyable read and not with the ending one might expect from the start. The characters are beautifully described, making the reader wish the best for the ones that are likeable. Thanks to netgalley, the publisher and author for my arc. |

This was an ok read. It had some funny moments and the characters weren't to bad. They had their moments. This was a slower read for me. This is my opinion so it doesn't mean that you won't like it so I would still say if it sounds good to you give it a try. Thanks NetGalley and Canelo for allowing me to read this ARC. |

This is not your typical love story, break up story or getting back together story. Its about a woman who overcomes self doubting in the relationship department because she learned how to listen to her own guts. We all have that feeling of insecurity sometimes and this is a nice story to learn how to handle it. I had a tough time getting into the story and liking the character because when you write something true it resonates in one who has seen that kind of truth. Regardless it is a book for people who are not seeking the sweeping of your feet romance but the down to earth help of true friends. |