Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this Audio ARC which was very much appreciated.

Firstly I am in awe of anyone who cannot only write, finish a book and get it published so a 3* review reflects my own opinion of the book, not the ability of the author.

From the description I think I settled down to listen to a thriller which isn't really how I'd describe this. It is more a domestic violence drama ( no spoiler here as apparent from the beginning).

In itself the premise could still have pulled me in but I found the 'thriller' ( unable to expand further here without spoilers) scenarios ever more unbelievable until it became all a bit daft.
Sadly I felt this lessened the impact the story could otherwise have had.

This thriller follows Amanda, a new neighbor who- along with her two children- is welcomed to West Street with smiles and sweets from the charming older residents of the cul-de-sac. Amanda doesn’t want to be in West Street, but she's just left her abusive husband and needed to get relatively far away from him, in a quiet part of town where she won't can't be found.

I very much thought this book was going to be a cozy British thriller about some nosy neighbors keeping tabs on their new neighbors and prattling on about it over tea every afternoon!

Boy, was I wrong!

This was a fast-paced thriller about some cozy-seeming neighbors who are WAY to interested in the people in their cul-de-sac. The neighbors not only keep tabs on each other for fun or gossip, they actively get involved and try to "help" out...even when their help is not requested or desired.

The last 1/3 of this book was a crazy thrill ride for me! The twists and turns were fun and the resolution was satisfying.

I recommend this novel and look forward to the next one from Nicole Trope. Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC audio version.

Welcome to West Street by Nicole Trope hooked me from the beginning, and shocked the pants off me at the end.

Sticking to the successful recipe for a domestic thriller, West Street includes nosy neighbors, a new family, a broken marriage with DV, a belligerent child...... You don't need too many details because it should be read without preconceptions.

That said, for those who have already read this one......please do not judge me, but I was pretty ok with the what and why of the whole thing. I'm now questioning who I am.

Highly recommend this book, and all of Trope's catalog. She can tell a story.

This story was entertaining and suspenseful filled with surprises and an elderly “busybody” that kept me hooked until the shocking end! Trust me, it’s not your average domestic thriller. WOW - that epilogue really caught me off guard!!
I'm always eager for Nicole Trope’s new releases - they never disappoint!
Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity to read/listen to this complimentary advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Overall I enjoyed this book but it was very different than I expected from the description. The best word I can use is “campy”. I’m wondering if it may be a cultural difference of Aussie verse US humor? I’m not sure.

It took me a bit to sink into but after about 20% it hooked me in enough to want to keep reading and “flipping those pages.” A euphemism in my case as I consumed the audiobook.
The narrator did a fine job with the recitation which many will enjoy. I think she went a bit too hard at some of the emotion going over into graphic audio territory but it was ok. I did have to speed it up as many of her voice choices were too slow for me to connect with.

There are a lot of different characters which I was glad for the audiobook as it helped keep track of them all. There are also plenty of twists and turns. Completely not believable at all but still fun to read. Remember I said “campy,” so the absurd worked a bit. I think the narration also helped with the camp/comedic effect that it had.

This title comes out April 22, 2025

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Bookouture Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

3.5 🌟 rounded up.

West Street offers a warm welcome to new neighbours, the residents pride themselves on community, well being and looking out for their own, they bake cakes, and are ready to stock freezers but not all is as it seems with the women who welcome strangers with open arms, open ears and sticky beaks……..

I actually really enjoyed this, it is somewhat predictable, the undercurrent is there from the first pages, and the reader can easily unravel the facts throughout, there’s a dreaded “you don’t know me, but” flurry of text messages, tend to pan out pretty much as you’d expect in these types of novels. All of this said though, there was a twist that I didn’t expect, just as I thought I’d unraveled it all, the story was fast paced, there’s plenty to keep you invested and I felt an ally ship if kinds with the worst characters, I do love to be won over by a wrong un!

I enjoyed the audio narration by Taryn Ryan, she had the ability to make each character easy to distinguish and kept me intrigued and made the story good fun!

Huge gratitude to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this pre release Audiobook in return for an honest review 🎧

Welcome to West Street by Nicole Trope
Narrated by Taryn Ryan

Carolyn and her two children are on the run. The children are not happy about this situation, especially eleven year old Jordon who is one scary kid. Listening to him abuse and berate his mom is disturbing, he sounds just like his father, the person whose behavior he is copying. Even the neighbors have heard Jordon raging at his mom and they have seen him storming out of the house after his rages. Not only does he abuse his mom, he'll hurl abuse on anyone who tries to talk to him.

The life Carolyn and her kids are used to living is one of wealth. Now they are in a little, smelly, not nice house and Carolyn wishes the well meaning neighbors would leave her alone. She doesn't want attention, she doesn't want to talk, she doesn't want the homemade cakes that are being delivered. She's just hoping she can get away with what she has done and move on with her life.

But for all that it seems that this is a friendly neighborhood, the reality is something else. Even little old ladies have something to hide. And young mothers have something to hide. Safety is an illusion when there are so many secrets.

Taryn Ryan does a good job with the narration and it was the screaming and ranting of Jordon that ramped up my anxiety. To think that this kid is going to grow up and have power over others, maybe co-workers, kids, a spouse, it's disturbing. But he's not the worst of this neighborhood, by far!

Thank you to Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this ARC.

I didn’t know quite what to expect going into this book, but it pulled me in right away. This story kept me at the edge of my seat with anticipation. This book took the phrase you never know what’s going on “behind closed doors” to another level. The alternating perspectives keeps the story interesting, and there’s a real sense of suspense that builds throughout the book.

Amanda & her 2 kids have just moved to West St. escaping her abusive husband Michael. When she meets her nosy neighbors, she slowly realizes that there are some deeply rooted secrets amongst this cul-de-sac. Has she escaped one hell to enter another or are her neighbors just overly protective? Side note: I’ve never disliked a book child this much, Jordon had my blood boiling lol..

Very solid read that makes me want to read more by this author! The narrator did a really good job bringing life to these characters. Thank you Bookouture Audio and NetGalley for this advanced listening copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one so much so I finished this on one day and it had me invested and immersed after the first couple of chapters which hasn’t happened with a psychological thriller in a while. The plot itself at one point did become maybe a little obvious the direction it was headed however for me that didn’t matter at all.

All the characters were unique with their own story bringing their own lives to West Street that then intertwined them all together. With neighbours who became friends see Amanda moving in to the street curtains begin twitching and people are all keen to know who their new neighbours are…

Amanda is fleeing a toxic domestic violent marriage with her 2 children and her husband has no idea where she is but she soon discovers the other neighbours around her have their own backgrounds and secrets which leads to a sequence of events that initially I definitely didn’t anticipate!

I really felt like I got to know the characters particularly Amanda and Caroline who I actually found myself feeling irritated by Caroline and warming to Amanda so for me this is a sign of good writing, delivery and narration that I was so immersed in the story!

This is narrated by Taryn Ryan who does an amazing job with change of pitch and tone to keep the characters individual and unique making this easy to follow and listen to without any confusion of who’s who moments.

Courtesy of NetGalley & Bookouture Audio I received a copy of this ELC for me to review which I send my gratitude & best wishes for publication on 22nd April 2025. 📚🎧

What would YOU do to keep your family safe? To protect them from their father? To keep yourself from getting killed? No idea?? Well, pick up this book! You’ll be in for quite a ride!!

Amanda has been placating her darling husband for years. She knows just when he’s going to lose it… and tries not to provoke him. But, sometimes she just can’t help it…

And now she has her kids to worry about. Jordan and Kiera are a true representation of their parents. He’s just like his Dad (in more ways than one, it seems)… and she’s just like her Mom.

So Amanda has been contemplating leaving him for a while. And when she finally does… well, Jordan is not happy at all! After all, they left a big, beautiful home in a wealthy area to move to a small home in a not so nice neighborhood… But, the neighbors seem sweet… if a bit nosy.

As Amanda starts forming bonds with the local woman she starts to think that MAYBE, just maybe, this might just all work out. But then, just like that, one of her kids goes missing! 😮😮😮

Lots of twists and turns throughout. Some I kind of thought maybe, that might be… others…well, out of left field. Totally! If you enjoy suspense with a bunch of twists, don’t pass this one by!

#WelcomeToWestStreet by #NicoleTrope and narrated nicely by #TarynRyan.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

***** THIS HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED!! Look 👀 for it on 4/22/25!! *****

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and & #BookoutureAudio for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
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Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

What a crazy ride! Amanda escapes a difficult marriage, with her two children, and moves into a house, trusting absolutely nobody with her new address. But her neighbours seem to know everything about each other, and what goes on in the street is observed closely.

This is a gripping narrative that has tension weaving all the way throughout the story. Well written and very intense characters held my intrigue right up until the explosive ending, where there were several mind-blowing twists that were completely unexpected!

Thoroughly enjoyable and made even more so by the brilliant narration by Taryn Ryan who voiced multiple characters, bringing them to life and capturing their individual personalities so well.

4 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, Nicole Trope and Bookouture, for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Excellent read with along of twist.

The adverse childhood experience and how they played out in the children, Jordan angry and confused, addicted to gaming. And the daughter withdrawn and quiet.

You can feel the emotions through the pages.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BookoutureAudio for the book #WelcomeToWestStreet by #NicoleTrope. Amanda has just started over with her two children and has moved into a small house in West Street. Her neighbors are a little strange and seem to be in her business. But all is not what it seems. The neighbors have secrets but so does Amanda. Can they all live happily ever after?

Premise - A newcomer joins a suburban neighborhood where everyone is hiding something and she's no exception.

What do you do when you play dumb games, win dumb prizes as a young woman and end up in a family of ogres? What do you do when your attempts to set things right only end up making things worse?

Pick this up for:
- scary suburbia
- nature vs nurture
- women who'll do what it takes to survive
- breaking cycles

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Taryn Ryan. Ryan doesn't coast by on her cozy voice and charming accent, no -- she delivers well-developed character after well-developed character, varying the pacing and energy of her read to match that of the text. Her read is wonderful and I highly recommend the audiobook!

Thanks, NetGalley and Bookouture Audio, for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re itching for instant thrills and cliffhangers on every page, step back—this one’s a slow burr that smolders beneath the surface. Nicole Trope’s Welcome to West Street reads like a late-night heart‑to‑heart with a friend who knows your secrets, full of messy love, tentative hope, and those tiny moments that feel like home. I’ll admit there were stretches where I wasn’t entirely sold, but every whispered confession and quiet revelation pulled me back in stronger than before.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ PG‑13 language, gentle steam, and a whole lot of heart—only recommend if you love the slow burr.

This book had me hooked from the start and delivered plot twists that left my jaw on the floor. Nicole Trope masterfully builds suspense in a neighborhood full of secrets, lies, and complicated women. What starts as a story about a woman trying to escape her past turns into a gripping, emotional rollercoaster. I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and Audible Audio for the audio ARC!

4 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The audio of this was great. I enjoyed the narrator and it flowed nicely. No complaints on the audio at all 👍🏻

The story tho sooo good. Nicole Trope knows how to write a thriller and I’ve been a fan of hers for a while! I was so excited to get the audio ARC of this! She for sure knows how to write a thriller and this one was no different. It’s full of twists, suspense and so intriguing! Had me hooked in the first 5 min!

Nicole Trope's Welcome to West Street audiobook immediately establishes a sense of simmering unease beneath the veneer of suburban neighborliness. The opening, with Caroline's seemingly welcoming gesture masking a deep-seated need to know everything, sets a tone of subtle suspicion that permeates the entire narrative.

The audiobook format effectively brings to life the contrasting perspectives of Caroline, the nosy and observant long-time resident, and Amanda, the newcomer harboring secrets and desperately seeking anonymity. The narration allows the listener to feel Caroline's watchful gaze and Amanda's underlying anxiety as she tries to build a new life while fearing her past catching up.

Trope masterfully crafts a slow-burn tension, hinting at the dark undercurrents beneath the seemingly ordinary lives on West Street. Amanda's guarded behavior and Caroline's relentless curiosity create a compelling dynamic, leaving the listener constantly questioning who can be trusted and what secrets lie hidden behind closed doors. The ominous foreshadowing of someone going missing, someone in handcuffs, and someone dying hangs heavy in the air, creating a palpable sense of dread.

Welcome to West Street is a character-driven psychological thriller that explores the complexities of suburban life and the devastating consequences of hidden truths. Trope delivers a captivating and suspenseful listen that will keep you guessing about the secrets of the new family and the long-time residents, and the tragic events that are destined to unfold on this seemingly ordinary street.