Nina and Zac are finally moving into a house. It’s only the main floor, as another couple live upstairs. Soon after settling in, Nina hears loud noises from above at night and strange sounds during the day. Strange occurrences rapidly begin causing havoc in both her personal and professional life. Nina doesn’t understand and fears for Vanessa who lives upstairs with her husband, Chris.

As Nina’s new life implodes, the reader can follow her and Zac through the stress of becoming homeowners while opening a new business. Both characters are very likeable, and I found myself rooting for them. Similarly, the upstairs neighbors are both unlikeable and even though Vanessa may be in danger, I found myself not caring.

The story is good and easy to read. It is sometimes terrifying and always mysterious as to who could be doing the things that occur. The why is finally answered but I found it to be a bit farfetched. Too much time had passed for this explanation to feel reliable. Other than that minor blip, I really enjoyed the story. It kept me reading far into the night…and looking over my shoulder at every sound!


I received an ARC from Bookouture through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

This author has a writing style that is so very engaging you cannot help but be drawn straight into the heart of the book!
Just when you think the story is heading in one direction you are thrown for a loop and are taken on a new and dangerous path!
Absolutely thrilling read from start to finish

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. Things are not always what they seem. Sharing a flat with a couple upstairs. Do you ever truly know your neighbors. And when you hear fighting. Or things don’t seem right what do you do - do you say something or say silent? And just when you think you have it figure out, you do not. Things are not what they seem and will have you guessing until the end. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was good, not great.. the pacing was good but the main villain’s motivation was a bit of a stretch to believe. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

Exciting times for Nina. A dream home with her boyfriend Zac and the blossoming of her new fashion business. How strange it is when things begin to go wrong from more or less the moment they move in, and it isn’t quite so warm and welcoming anymore. Zac gets on well with Chris the neighbour above, but Nina isn’t so sure of him. Vanessa appears quiet and shy and Nina’s attempts to become friends are met with silence.
At times the story felt to be a slow burner and I was feeling a score of three but then the climax gripped me, and it pushed it up to a four. I think I struggled to understand why Zac was so willing to believe someone who he hadn’t known or been friends with for long. Zac doubted the woman that he had been in love with for over five years which made me consider whether he truly deserved Nina.
On the whole another enjoyable, good read from Shalina Boland.
Thankyou to both Shalini Boland and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I found myself reading this novel very quickly as the suspense kept me on the edge of my seat. Great characters and a fast suspenseful plot. I have loved all of Shalini Boland's prior books and this one will not disappoint.

Boland is a genius! The way she weaves a story is unlike any other. I guessed the suspect from the beginning, but I looked and looked throughout the story and couldn't even prove my theory. Plus I got all confused by Boland throwing me off the suspect's scent. She is good!

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I normally do enjoy books by this author but I'm just at a standstill with this one. Nina and her boyfriend, Zac move into the downstairs of a flat. They are anxious to meet the neighbors above them. When they meet Chris and Vanessa, Nina gets bad vibes. Chris treats her strangely and barely looks at her and Vanessa rarely speaks. Nina owns her own business and while working from home she hears alot of yelling upstairs. Nina and Zac start fighting and some weird things are going on. I do not feel like this book was a thriller. The last 20 percent was like a teen novel and there were too many people mentioned that had no part of the story. I would say this was more a romance.

Excellent book by Shalini Boland! This is about a young couple, Nina and Zac, who buy a flat with big dreams of becoming friends with the couple upstairs and living a great life. Once Nina meets her neighbors she is isn’t so sure about them but Zac thinks the husband is great. Unexplained things begin to happen to Nina and her life goes into a tailspin. Many twists and turns!

Nina and Zac move into a wonderful new flat where she hopes that she will be able to combine the perfect new place and a way to extend her fledgling business to become a global success. Things quickly become tarnished as she feels that their upstairs neighbours have an agenda against her.
You begin to wonder just who is behind the events going on around her.
Her happy new start seems to be unravelling around her. The suspense is page turning! Will she find the happy ever after she thought they had. Just what will the neighbours do next. Is she safe.
I loved every page

Shaking Boland is a great writer, and her stories are always fun to read. I’ve never regretted reading one of Boland’s books yet! This one, though, was not one of my favorites as it was a bit slower paced in the beginning, with a quick switch to cuckoo crazy at the end! Now, I hasten to add that I am not at all objecting to the cuckoo crazy - in fact, I would have welcomed some of that sooner! - but it made for a little bit of a disjointed reading experience. Nevertheless, even though I’ve liked other books of hers better, this was a fun book by a reliable author and I will most definitely be picking up her next one! 3.5 stars.

A new novel by Shalini Boland guarantees several things to her fans: you will be excited to read it, you push it to the top of your TBR list, ,you know you will be invested in her characters, you know you will enjoy it whether it’s one of your favorites or not. The Couple Upstairs fulfills all those promises.

This is my third book by Shalini Boland and she never disappoints. Perfectly plotted and brilliantly executed, this book had me engrossed from page one, I could not turn the pages fast enough!

A fast paced thriller with plenty of mystery, suspense and twists and turns. This story keeps you guessing right up to the very end.

A compelling good read that keeps you invested from start to finish. I loved it!

3.5 stars rounded up. I enjoy this authors books and always look out for her new ones. This was a nice easy read that I got through quite quickly and it was enjoyable. I just struggled to like any of the characters or feel any sympathy for Nina as her quite self centred and annoying. This put me of the book slightly.

👫 Book Review 👫

👫The Couple Upstairs Shalini Boland

👫 Publication Date - September 13th 2021

👫 I should never have become friends with the couple upstairs…

The first time I step inside this cosy apartment with its sash windows, just minutes from the sea, I think it would be the perfect place for me and my partner Zac to start again. A chance to leave our troubled past behind.

Chris and Vanessa, the couple upstairs, are so welcoming: smiles, flowers, a home-baked cake. It’s strange how he does all the talking, and she seems so shy, but I’m just thrilled to have new friends nearby.

But everything starts to go wrong… my business begins to crumble, I can’t ignore the whispers at our housewarming party and loud arguments from upstairs keep me awake at night. I can’t sleep, I can’t think straight and I feel like someone is watching me in my own home.

And then Zac comes home one afternoon, his face clenched with fury, and says he knows what’s going on. He knows about my secret…

He won’t listen to me. He storms out and I’m left in tears, completely devastated.

Why has my life fallen apart since we moved here? Am I going mad? Or is someone trying to destroy us?

If only I’d known what I know now.
If only I hadn’t trusted the couple upstairs.

👫 The very first pages pulled me in with its description and scene. I was hoping the book was going to be completely like that, although it wasn't I was not disappointed.

👫 I found that I didn't really like any of the characters in The Couple Upstairs. They were well developed but I just didn't like them. Nina seemed like a spoilt brat and Zac a walk over until he did a 360 in personality.

👫 The book was enjoyable and fast paced with a twist that seems a bit predictable. I was not completely sold on the motivations behind the twist but I did enjoy the book itself.

👫 All up I give the book 3.5 stars.

You never know what your neighbors will be like when you move into a new home, but for Nina, it becomes an absolute nightmare.

Nina is hopeful that the neighbors above their new flat will become good friends with her and her boyfriend Zac. But there is something off about them. Vanessa and Chris appear friendly enough at first, but the more Nina gets to know them, the more she worries that Chris is too controlling of his shy, quiet wife.

When Nina hires Vanessa to work for her, she finally begins to see Vanessa come out of her shell and their friendship begins to blossom. Chris, on the other hand, is cold and barely acknowledges Nina. Unfortunately, Zac doesn’t agree with Nina when it comes to her misgivings about Chris, and their relationship begins to suffer because it. But there’s is more to Chris and Vanessa’s story, and I guarantee you won’t see it coming! It definitely caught me by surprise and made the book that much more enjoyable!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4236690908

3.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐💫
The Couple Upstairs is the third novel I've read by Shalini Boland. Same as the previous novels I've read by this author, it wasn't lengthy. The story was engaging, and the pacing was fair, so it made for a quick read.
There were a number of characters in the novel, though I found it easy to narrow down who was most important to the story, who was meant to be a suspect, and who was set up to throw you off. I had it pinned who was behind the meddling early on, I just didnt have an idea as to why Nina and Zac were being targeted and what the person hoped to gain or accomplish.
So while the "villain" of the story was predictable, for me their motive wasn't.
This is where the mystery lies. I wanted to know what was driving the person to target this couple, mainly Nina. (Side note, Nina's husband, Zac, I don't know how he so easily trusted sources he barely knew, but he did. I didn't enjoy him all that much, and I didn't find him to be a supportive partner in the least.)
In the end there was good build-up but I felt the full reveal of the antagonists motivation was weak. Once it was all laid out I thought, "really?"
All in all, I was kept entertained while reading The Couple Upstairs, but I didn't find it held and major shock value or surprising twists. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a quick suspense novel to read over the weekend.

______

*TW/CW: cancer; parental death (off page; in past)

**Complimentary copy for review provided by Bookouture. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

Another great book from Shalini Boland. Her books never disappoint. This one kept me guessing from the start and I couldnt predict at how it was going to end. It is a gripping story with a twist I could never have expected or imagined . Highly recommended

EXCERPT: 'Nina? Are you coming in, then? ' Zac's warm brown eyes beckon.

I realise I'm standing on the doorstep in a dream while Zac has stepped into the hallway. Suddenly, I'm giddy with nerves and excitement. I can't wait to get inside, but I'm also a little anxious. The one and only time we saw the inside of the flat was three months ago before we put in the offer. I knew we had to move fast to secure it. Property gets snapped up so quickly in this area. I hope it lives up to my memory.

ABOUT 'THE COUPLE UPSTAIRS': I should never have become friends with the couple upstairs…

The first time I step inside this cosy apartment with its sash windows, just minutes from the sea, I think it would be the perfect place for me and my partner Zac to start again. A chance to leave our troubled past behind.

Chris and Vanessa, the couple upstairs, are so welcoming: smiles, flowers, a home-baked cake. It’s strange how he does all the talking, and she seems so shy, but I’m just thrilled to have new friends nearby.

But everything starts to go wrong… my business begins to crumble, I can’t ignore the whispers at our housewarming party and loud arguments from upstairs keep me awake at night. I can’t sleep, I can’t think straight and I feel like someone is watching me in my own home.

And then Zac comes home one afternoon, his face clenched with fury, and says he knows what’s going on. He knows about my secret…

He won’t listen to me. He storms out and I’m left in tears, completely devastated.

Why has my life fallen apart since we moved here? Am I going mad? Or is someone trying to destroy us?

If only I’d known what I know now.
If only I hadn’t trusted the couple upstairs.

MY THOUGHTS: I have read, loved and rated books by this author at five stars in the past but, to be honest, The Couple Upstairs was a very average read. As I got to the 50% mark, I realised I was bored. I seriously debated not finishing, and couldn't quite believe I was considering doing this to a book by Shalini Boland! I had decided to read one more chapter - they are very short - when Boland threw me a curveball, and I kept reading.

Even though I kept reading, The Couple Upstairs was ultimately a disappointment for me. 'Average', and 'obvious' are the words that come to mind, and there's no way that I consider this to be a psychological thriller. No thrills, no suspense, and the psychological motivation is very weak.

Even though this is written in the first person, I didn't feel that I was there, living Nina's experiences. I didn't like Nina, or Zac, their families, or their neighbours. I didn't relate to any of them.

There were a number of things that seemed totally unrealistic to me, from buying a flat after only one viewing, to the end where (view spoiler)

Not a read that I will be recommending. This author can do, and has done, much better. Had this been the gripping psychological thriller it's promoted as, I would have read the 260 odd pages in one sitting rather than taking 3 days, as I did.

⭐⭐.6

#contemporaryfiction #domesticdrama

I: @shaboland @bookouture

T: @ShaliniBoland @Bookouture

THE AUTHOR: Hello :) I write suspense thrillers and dark adventures, and I live in Dorset, England with my husband, two children and our dog. I only write reviews for books I enjoy!

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Couple Upstairs by Shalini Boland via Netgalley for review.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

4.5 Stars

Shalini Boland is back with a superb psychological crime thriller that will leave readers on the edge of their seats barely able to catch their breath: The Couple Upstairs.

Nina and Zac’s new home was meant to be a fresh start for the two of them. Having been together for a very long time, their dream house was the new beginning they had been hoping for. Keen to leave the past behind, Nina and Zac hoped to put old ghosts to rest and to no longer be threatened by their past mistakes and regrets. As they open the doors to their new home to their friends and family, they also invite their new neighbours, Vanessa and Chris. Nina is keen to make a good impression on them and to prove that her and Zac are the sort of people they’d love to have living in the neighbourhood. But will letting Vanessa and Chris into their new home prove to be the start of a beautiful friendship? Or the biggest mistake of Nina and Zac’s life?

Just who is this couple they’ve let in through their door? Are they the happily devoted couple they make out to be? Or is there something far more sinister going on than meets the eye? Nina cannot shake off this horrible feeling that there is more to this couple than they are letting on. Could they somehow be connected to the spate of bad luck which has befallen Nina and Zac ever since they moved in together? Or is Nina letting her imagination run away with her? The pressure has lately been getting to Nina. Who is leaving all the nasty reviews about her business? And rather than bringing them even closer, ever since they moved in together, Nina and Zac find themselves growing more and more distant with each passing day.

Who wants to destroy Nina and Zac? Will they succeed? Or can they withstand any obstacle standing in their way?

Shalini Boland has done it again with The Couple Upstairs. A fast-paced, nail-biting and nerve-jangling crime thriller that will make readers’ hearts jump out of their chest, The Couple Upstairs is a tense, twisty and terrifying thriller packed with secrets and revelations readers will not see coming.

Shalini Boland knows how to pen an addictive and absorbing thriller readers greedily gobble up in one go and in The Couple Upstairs, she has once again written an outstanding chiller that will keep them reading all through the night.