I found this book such a delight to read, had a giggle many times and found it is a novel that would make a great chick flick.
Thoroughly enjoyed it

Certainly not my favourite book unfortunately. It was almost like ready a trashy magazine, full of cliches and unlikeable characters. That said, the writing itself wasn't bad. Perhaps it was just the wrong story for me.

I tried to finish this book but I think it is really not my cup of tea. There's too much drama going on and I felt like I was just watching a tv drama or a telenovela. If you enjoy Desperate Housewives type of stories, then you will definitely enjoy reading this. But as for me, I better stick to other genre of books.

Really enjoyed this book love the story would recommend

I really wanted to like this book and I was looking forward to reading it however, it wasn't meant to be. It is well written and has some humorous parts but I couldn't find a single character to like and the story was just too over the top for me.

I liked the beginning of the book. I knew right off the bat that this was a book that required leaving your brain before the flip of the front cover. This is a good beach read; you don’t have to think too much about the story. You just need to laugh at the antics of the characters.

In the beginning, the story was a lot like a Desperate Housewives episode. I didn’t like the fact that the characters weren’t likeable, but reading this book was a mindless and fun activity.

Until the debauchery began. There’s a whole lot of cheating going on and it just was too stupid to read about.

The main character Florrie wasn’t all that likeable. The author tries hard to make her seem like the only sane person in the town, but a particular plot twist at the 20% mark shows us that she’s not exactly a saint either. Does that stop Saint Florrie from judging other people, though? Nope.

And don’t even get me started about the friendship between these women. They’re not even that nice to each other. Allison and Daisy are said to be friends in this book, but there wasn’t a single instance were they acted like they were. As the story progressed, I decided to take back my comment about it being similar to Desperate Housewives. The success of that TV show was due to a number of reasons, a key one being the friendship between the main characters. You don’t have that kind of friendship here. I don’t even think characters like these, if real, would be friends IRL.

There’s some domestic violence too. It’s hurried and is never discussed after the incident.

While there are a number of negatives, if you suspend disbelief throughout, you might get out of the book smiling a little at the humor in it too.

This book was delightful. I could not put it down. The characters are fun and believable. Going to look for other books by this author.

This is the author's second book that I read and I can say she has a unique way of talking about everyday problems making them funny or important.
In a small town in England, three completely different neighbors can be friends.
Each one has its own peculiar way of seeing life and keeping their marriage. The gossip and rumors that are part of the city's day-to-day affect them differently as well.
The rumors are the most diverse and, as always, I like to pay attention to that character that would be the secondary, but that ends up making the plot a lot more interesting. Here this character is Mrs. Thompson (every town or condo has one like her).
Quality Women Literature that amuses and makes you think.

4,5 stars

Florrie, Daisy and Alison are all good friends who live in the same close but live very different lives. As the story unfolds it becomes a story of swapping partners, falling outs and misunderstandings. I love Debbie's books and have read all of them. This one took a while to get going but moved at a fast pace once it did. Daisy is scatty and exhausted with her young children, barely gets dressed and loves Jeremy Kyle! Alison is such a snob and only wants to entertain the rich and famous, Florrie is desperate for a baby but her husband has problems. Despite their differences they are there for each other. A story of love and friendship despite the odds.

Lovely read. i enjoyed this book. Enjoyed reading about the characters and storyline too

I loved the first half of this book. It went at such a fast paced and the characters were so fun. Then it suddenly went a bit over the top. I really didn't care for the turn one of the characters made. It seemed out of the blue and out of character for him and didn't make sense. On top of that I just didn't think it was necessary for the story.

All in all it was a fun read and I'd certainly read more by this author. She did a great job of making the characters (most of them at least) real people.
I do agree with the other reviewers that I kept thinking this was just like a season of Desperate Housewives. Of course I loved that show when it was on so that was a good association for me.

After reading a book before this called The cosy coffee shop of promises, I suggested to the other half I should read this to keep the theme going. However it was a brilliant book. I had an expectation of what I thought it would be about. However I was very surprised when it was nothing like I thought it would be.
 
I loved this book. I dove in and kept on reading. Was a case of just one more chapter and as it is half term I could get away with doing this. I expected this book to be set mainly in the corner shop, how wrong I was. I loved the characters and wanted to be part of their friendship group. I wanted to join them for their tea/coffee mornings.

So much drama can happen in such a small cul-de-sac that it makes where I live look very boring.  All three main characters are brilliant and I couldn't love one more than the other. The others are ones you take to or wonder how they fit in but all is explained in the end. The gossip that goes around is brilliant, and how the ladies deal with it is even better. If you don't believe me, read it.

I cannot wait to read more from this author. This is the first of hers I have read and I can see her becoming a firm favourite.

4 stars

Daisy, Alison and Florrie are all neighbours living in a cul de sac in Lower Amblegate. On the surface it is a sleepy little village where not much goes on - Florrie has been trying for a baby, Alison is a bit of a snob and likes to be seen with the right people whereas Daisy is happy with an ordinary life and although so very different to each other they are good friends

All is not as it seems in the village however and it soon becomes apparent that it is actually a hotbed of gossip and scandal! Go to the corner shop if you want to find out more!

Living in a small village myself I loved this book as it is so true - the amount of gossip and scandal is amazing - especially the speed that it is transmitted - great lighthearted read ideal for the beach

This book is about a group of neighbors/friends in a small town. They all have very different personalities, yet they are all the same in essence. All of these women are different in temperment, but they all are actually the same under neath it all. You have the local gossip who seems to know what is going on in these women's life and gives subtle hints but none really pick up on them but one. The book has some twists, and it actually has that spin that you look for. And what a spin it is!!! The book is slow in the beginning but picks up and has you wanting to continue reading. Good book that reminds you, things are not always what they seem to be. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced reading copy in return for my honest review.

My first impressions were that the author was trying to cram too much into her opening chapters, rushing through the character descriptions with rather too much haste. The story is fun, if a little outlandish (though what do I know about small villages in Kent and adulterous shenanigans!?) As chick lit goes, it's fun, frothy and rather too light on the characterisation. Each one is drawn in bold strokes, but with little depth or shade. The story tumbles along, everything happening at great speed, with catch ups to the plot given as flash backs. In this format, it's worth the author making notes as to when certain key plot devices actually happen, as currently the main protagonist spends time in the first half of the book wondering who sent the poison pen letter, when a flashback in the latter half reveals the truth weeks before. Confusing. It also needs a jolly good proof read, as some sentences seem to be edited only half way. I wouldn't say this was a poor story, only that it needs to slow down a little and take a breath now and then.

The Corner Shop of Whispers had both some pros and cons. The good...It was written in a light way that made it a quick and easy read. Mrs. Viggiano is great at writing dialogue and I was quickly sucked into the story. Florrie was a likable character who I was rooting for and I appreciated the friendship between Florrie and Daisy.
The bad...comes down to the story-line between Marcus and Florrie. I don't feel that it was given enough time to develop or to see any consequences to the behavior Marcus displayed. He was about to rape Florrie..she runs from the house with her top open because she is so terrified and not an hour later she is getting ready for the ball. That did not sit well with me and that was when I knew I couldn't recommend this book. I would read another book by this Author because I enjoyed her style, but the rape scene without consequence was unsettling for me.

The Corner Shop of Whispers by Debbie Viggiano

I hold my hands up and say this is not my favourite genre but once in a while I fancy reading something a bit lighter, that will make me smile, if not laugh. The Corner Shop of Whispers and the antics of Florrie, Daisy and Alison and the goings-on in Lower Amblegate would fit the bill, or so I thought. Rarely have I been so exasperated by a book. I know that I am supposed to suspend reality and just engage but this was just too silly for words.

In fairness I must say that Ms Viggiano does write well and I could not help notice some of her phrasing which did her credit. The characters? I just did not find them credible, they were more like caricatures and don’t let me even mention the dialogue – particularly Daisy in her dirty pyjamas. It was all too much of a cliché. We have everybody’s grubby little secrets exposed in gossip and it all comes to a head – where else but at the May Ball, gorgeous gowns and exquisite champagne, really?

I did finish the book (I think it only courteous when NetGalley provides access via my Kindle in return for an honest review) but I am not sure I would have otherwise.

If you are expecting a Jilly Cooper or Bridget Jones’ Diary this is probably not for you. However if you are expecting Lena Kennedy (Lilly My Lovely) you will really enjoy this.

What a great book. A little like the TV series Desperate Housewives..
Florrie, Daisy and Ali are cul de sac neighbours. Seemingly all is perfect in their lives, but underneath the covers there is marriage triubles, affairs, a lick gosship and love blossoming.
I found this book such a delight to read, had a giggle many times and found it is a novel that would make a great chick flick.
Thoroughly enjoyed it

If you like watching your favorite tv drama/comedy every week and don't feel like waiting for the next episode, read. this. book. I remember growing up watching Desperate Housewives every Sunday at 9 P.M. and being glued to the TV until the credits rolled. This was like all of the seasons wrapped into one book. There were so many twists and turns in this book, I couldn't put it down! I read this book in two days because there were so many things going on that I just wanted to know what was going to happen next! This book was the perfect mix between romance, suspense, and drama! It was a quick read and is perfect for Valentine's Day!

Warning...lots, and I mean lots, of cheating and sleeping around. No salacious details, but cheating nonetheless.

That being said, there were parts of this book that were laugh out loud funny.

A quick, light read that's sure to give you a chuckle or two.