Cover Image: THE PERFECT NEIGHBOUR

THE PERFECT NEIGHBOUR

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Thank you netgalley and publisher for opportunity to read and review this arc.

This one wasn't a favorite, but it wasn't bad. It was a bit more predictable and.. odd I guess, didn't really feel like a thriller. Would definitely give the author another shot by trying another book but this one was meh to me.

Was this review helpful?

Great book, it kept me engaged and not wanting to put it down. It was such a quick and thrilling read.

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed the perspective of sofia, and the ending was fairly satisfying, but really, there wasn't a great deal of suspense here. It was really straight forward to be honest and some elements were predictable.

Was this review helpful?

A suburban domestic thriller with a vague yet intriguing plot line, this book piqued my interest. If I have to be honest, the direction the storyline took after a while had the potential to make me uncomfortable but thankfully the author dialed down on it, and in the end I found this book enjoyable.

Was this review helpful?

I was literally hooked from page 1. It was exciting. Thrilling. A real page turner. Excellent plot that played out well. The book was well written.

Was this review helpful?

This was a page turner and had some good characters. There were moments of tension in this book. A well written thriller

Was this review helpful?

3.5/5 rounded up

The takeaway from this one is “We really never know what is going on in other people’s lives.” It’s a good message but definitely went a long round about way to get to it.

This book had a cool premise, at times it sort of reminded me of Cinderalla, but with human trafficking/modern slavery rather than a wicked step mother / step daughter relationship.

Overall, this one was just ok for me. I still recommend it but I think it was a little longer than it needed to be (or maybe not because I just realized it was only 260 pages!), it was really repetitive and slow. It felt a bit disjointed at times.

I did like the main character and was rooting for her the entire time. The author did a nice job of making you feel sorry for her but not in a way where you’d think she’s weak. I also liked Beth and her determination. I think the dog might’ve been my favorite character.

I really liked how towards the end there was a nod to the important work that the Salvation Army does. I honestly didn’t know much about them and how significant their impact is around the world.

Was this review helpful?

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

.





May contains spoiler.
Trigger warning ⚠️
Slavery. Abuse. Food Starvation .

.
.

- wow. Full of emotion on this story . It’s better to listen is audible to feel the intensity.

Beth just moved to this new neighbourhood, I find her at first just keep yourselves to yourselves as she keeps on wanting have friends in the neighbourhood. But at the end I love how she was motherly image to Sofia.
.
Sofia on the other hand I can feel the pain and loneliness. A Bulgarian girl wants to find a job in other county but made to be slave in this big house by oksana.
.
There is another twist in the story at the end with Matt and her sister and that was a shocker .
Every chapter was gripping and wouldn’t stop me to listen and worth every time .
.
Definitely worth the read.

Thankyou #netgalley and #jeoffreybooks for the opportunity for a honest review.



❤️shaye.reads

Was this review helpful?

The premise of this book resonated with me, yet when I read it I did not enjoy it as much as I expected to. I am open to re-reading it in the future, and hopefully I will enjoy it more the second time around.

Was this review helpful?

Unfortunately I didn't love this book. I felt the suspense was lacking and overall a bit boring and not memorable. It's not one I would think to recommend in the future.

Was this review helpful?

I started this book more than a year ago but sadly it got pushed aside. Once I picked it back up, I finished it in a day! This was a storyline like no other that I've read in a suspense-thriller! It dove into a pretty dark subject matter but on the flipside it showed how important it is to say something if you see something. This book had a nice flow although some parts were over explained and some a little jumpy but by the end of the book, it all came together. I found the ending somewhat predictible but loved the journey! Sophia's charachter was one of strength and determination and I admired her resolve to keep herself in the present and pursuing every oportunity to better her situation. I appreciated the author's note explaining her research into this novel and look forward to reading more of her work.

Was this review helpful?

I read this in the height of my thriller obsession and even though the book kept me reading and guessing I was not as obsessed with this one as the others. The book read with a really easy flow, and I really enjoyed Beard’s writing style. You can tell that the author loved writing this book and put a lot of work into the research behind some of the themes of this book. 

“Falling in love, a first kiss, the late teenage years, full of possibilities. I miss my family, my mama, my papa, my little sister, my lovely cousin Elena. The joy of a hug. Human contact. The anguish is a twist in my chest, a rock in my belly.” 

When Beth moves into a house she just wants to fit into this perfect neighbourhood; she wants a new group of friends, a new job and she desperately wants to become friends with her new neighbour Oksana. However, when she runs into her garden one day after her runaway dog, she sees a girls face in the window. With a sign baring two words. HELP ME. Beth quickly wants to discover who this girl is and figure out what is going on in this quiet neighbourhood. 

Starting with my favourite part of this book which was the dual perspective. I loved seeing both sides of the story through the different situations in the book. It also always left you on a cliff hanger and wanting more from the story. It was an element you do not often get in thriller books but one I really enjoyed. 

“If you have hope, every small disappointment, every single, tiny failure builds and grows into a huge mass until your mind can’t deal with it anymore and you go mad.”

The story started off strong but once it got to the middle it really started to go slowly. By the end I was just waiting for the ending, and I knew exactly what was going to happen. I was happy with the ending, but it was predictable, and I was waiting for the shock factor just a little bit. I wanted to be left on the edge of my seat, but I did not find that in the end. 

The focus on the real-world issues was really heart-breaking to read about since it is something that does not get as much attention as it should in the media. Human trafficking is an issue that should be addressed more and seeing Sofia’s despair throughout the book was really hard to read about. Susanna Beard has clearly done her research surrounding the topic and it feels authentic in the book. 

This book was a page turned which is ultimately why I ended up giving it three stars however I just wanted more twists and turns for a thriller. I would be interested in reading her future works and I really respect the work and research that went in this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

Was this review helpful?

"Beth wants to love her new home on a quiet suburban street. She wishes she could make friends with her beautiful neighbour Oksana. She longs for a new group of friends. Welcoming neighbours to visit. Coffee dates and dinner parties.

But life here feels so closed. Then Beth runs into Oksana’s garden one day to fetch her runaway dog, and she sees something shocking that makes her wonder who her new neighbours really are.

A girl in the window.
A pale desperate face.
A hastily scribbled sign bearing only two words.

HELP ME.

Who is the girl? What are the neighbours hiding?

Sometimes, it’s the most perfect neighbours that hide the most terrible secrets."

Instantly intriguing but ultimately not quite believable. Still stands as thriller.

Was this review helpful?

Totally unputdownable (is that a word?!)
This was a really well written book and had me totally on the edge of my seat a few times. It was very well written and the story flowed well and I didn't want it to end. Highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

Just when you think you’ve had enough of the whole “neighbor” book—along comes another one to sweep you off your feet. I really think it’s best if you go into this book blind and just take it all in as you read along.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for approving me for this book.

I felt the writing was done well in this book but there was just something missing for me and I couldn't get into it and enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.

Was this review helpful?

Along the lines of B.A. Paris, this thriller will make you question if you really know your neighbors at all. Definitely, makes you evaluate moving houses or getting more locks...

Thank you #NetGalley and Joffe Books for giving me the opportunity to read this!

Was this review helpful?

An OK read. Started off strong, but somewhere around the middle it started to fall off. It was still entertaining enough that I wanted to finish. I was just hoping that the ending would be strong. Again a solid read with enough activity going to keep you going till the end.

#NETGALLEY #THEPERFECTNEIGHBOUR

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely loved this thriller- had all the perfect tropes and kept me guessing the entire time!! Would absolutely read from this author over and over again!

Was this review helpful?

I was excited for this book. I loved the description, the title, and the cover. While there are many books about neighbors, I figured this one might just be the one to blow the rest out of the water. It was just okay. It wasn’t anything to write home about, but I did enjoy it for the most part, it was a quick read and one I feel should be read.

Was this review helpful?