This was such an intriguing read that explored marriage, desire, and the quiet unravelling of domestic life. As balances shift and temptations rise the novel delves into whether love can be salvaged or if some fractures are too deep to mend.

The Single Neighbour is a thoughtful, emotionally charged exploration of a marriage unravelling under the weight of silence, routine and unspoken disappointment. Senta Rich writes with clear-eyed honesty about the fragility of long-term relationships and the complexity of desire.

Tristan and Izzy’s marriage feels authentic in its quiet discontent. The slow fade of intimacy and connection is portrayed with subtlety, making their individual perspectives deeply relatable. The arrival of Viv, their alluring new neighbour, acts as a catalyst rather than a disruption. She is not simply a plot device but a mirror, forcing both Tristan and Izzy to confront the truths they have long avoided.

What I appreciated most is how the book refuses to offer easy answers. Instead, it allows space for uncertainty, vulnerability and reflection. The emotional shifts are handled with nuance, and the writing maintains a steady, compelling rhythm that drew me in from the first page.

This is not a story about explosive drama, but about the quiet moments that change everything. The Single Neighbour is a well observed, intimate portrait of a marriage at a crossroads. It holds up a mirror to the reader, asking quietly difficult questions about love, identity and what it means to stay.

3.5/5.

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The title and premise of this book immediately piqued my interest. What unfolded was a raw, realistic, and character-driven exploration of a marriage on the rocks, with a focus on individual pasts and personal flaws. I ultimately appreciated the alternating perspectives between Izzy and Tristan, which offered a balanced and introspective look into how each partner navigated their past and contributed to the breakdown of their relationship. The depiction of their imperfections was definitely where the plus points of this book were.

The writing made it easy to slip into the story, but at times it felt all over the place, almost like it was saying too much without a clear direction. A number of supporting characters were introduced, but many of them didn’t feel essential and left me wondering about their purpose in the narrative.

Of course I was particularly intrigued by Viv and expected her to play a pivotal role either as a central figure or as a real catalyst in the couple's dynamic. However, it felt somewhat anticlimactic, and although I loved how desire and temptation were explored through her character, I felt that she eventually faded into the background.

I also found myself wanting deeper characterisation from both partners. By the end, they remained fairly ordinary or just a couple trying to figure things out, without further emotional payoff or deeper insight into who they truly were.

Overall, I had mixed feelings about the book! While I admired the honest, unpolished look at a crumbling relationship, I was left wanting more impact and emotional depth from the characters. That said, I’m looking forward to reading more from Senta Rich in the future.

this book is a great snippet into a situation that happens. we all know it does. but this delves us into two sides to that situation as we hear from both characters. its interested to see how to people in the relationship are facing it from seemingly separate corners.
they are lost. they arent working together. they are communicating. they arent being good to eachother. but there is deeper workings going on. things from each of their past that they are both stuck in.
then a new neighbour comes into the picture. she brings all their problems to the front. because she offers them both a light on what they are missing and a seeming answer to them .but how can this be if she makes them split apart further. you can find whats missing between the two of you outside of that and then expect all to be fixed.
so will she be their key or their curse? what it will do is force them to confront these thing. confront what they have ignored or tried to turn away from.
but can and should these two work it out?
there were so many brilliant thought provokers to this book. and i liked seeing both sides.

I struggled to get through this. It was hard to relate to the couple having problems in their marriage. Their problems were the result of childhood trauma was the message. Izzy and Tristan seemed a bit lame, forever preparing to "talk" but shying away from it. The neighbour next door was supposed to be a catalyst but while she initially dazzled, her light soon dimmed. Monty was the best character in the book: enigmatic and mysterious. We didn't hear his back story although we knew Izzy's and Tristan's in ponderous detail. Too slow in pace for me. I just wished Izzy and Tristan would get a grip. She commits another act of rage at the end (not peeing on the carpet this time) but it came too late to rescue the story.

I really enjoyed the first two-thirds of this novel. The plot is engaging, with characters that have interesting dynamics. Unfortunately, for me, the final part of the book seemed to fizzle out. Narrated by both Izzy and Tristan, this worked well when they were sharing their backstories, with their unique perspectives, but in the later chapters, it became repetitive and I was hoping for a more explosive or satisfying ending. I’m sure there are plenty of readers who will love this book, but I gravitate more to plot-led books and this wasn’t my favourite.

The idea behind "The Single Neighbour" sounded great. There's this married couple and both of them become fascinated with the artis neighbour who just moved next door. Before the bubble bursts, the ,mysterious woman gives them each something they've been craving for a long time - intimacy, adventure, a hint of eroticism.

I appreciated that both Tristan and Izzy have been given rich backstories that in a way help the reader understand the dynamic between them as a couple, as well as the ways they interact with the world around them. Yet, what I found annoying, was the writing style. Senta Rich decided to create interwoven narratives from Tristan and Izzy's first-person POVs, and yet somehow there's no difference in the way they express themselves. It's something hard to grasp but in my opinion both characters were given this feminine voice, use the same wording and don't seem to know any other way of expressing contentment than saying they're "pleased".

I think the overall principle is an interesting one but the novel would benefit from having a skilled editor who would encourage the author to play a bit more with the POV's.

I really enjoyed this book and yet am weirdly unsure why as it felt rushed at times. Tristan and the team at the restaurant were characters you wanted to know more about. They, Spencer, Maddy, Monty and Bill all felt like they had more to give in their stories. I didn’t care for Viv, as she was never given any depth to decide was she “good” or “evil” and Izzy was just neurotic. That said, this draft of the story still works, you still want to read on and see where the story is going. Give it a read, you’ll like it but you may not know why…..

Tristan and Izzy are on the brink of marital breakdown. Sex has become less than perfunctory and distance shadows their interactions. The arrival of their new neighbour may just be their salvation: or will she be their undoing?
As Viv becomes an ever-increasing presence in their lives, the couple are forced to confront the long-ignored truths about themselves, each other and their pasts that have been a silent, spectral presence between them for years. At this fork in their marriage, they will face the most difficult decision: to cleave together for the sake of their union, or to walk away.

I’ve really enjoyed reading this novel. I loved the formatting, with each chapter split between Tristan and Izzy, written in the first person. The story centres more than anything around desire. Desire for love and intimacy outside of Tristan and Izzy’s marriage as well as within. Secondary to this are themes of loneliness, constraint, and ultimately love.

My only criticism would be that the writing felt slightly elementary. There were sections that perhaps could have been further developed and some where they were overly descriptive. However, it was a really easy to get into book, great story, and thrilling read.

I have a feeling that The Single Neighbour will be an epic and sizzling read in the sunshine this summer.

This is the second novel from Senta Rich. Having read her first book, I was waiting with somewhat bated breath for this second novel. She is a fine writer and this book follows her first with excellent characterisation. What I love most about her is that she takes simple ordinary situations but adds a twist. This book deals with a couple and a new neighbour. It explores the relationship between them and her. What happens when this neighbour moves in? What is her motive? Will their marriage survive? Will there be infidelity? Through a weaving of rich characterisation and drama, this is a darkish book full of twists and turns and one which I read in two days. While not as good as her first book, this is a really good novel from Senta Rich and an easy read that will grip you. I look forward to the next book. Thank you Bloomsbury and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it.

I liked this book. It's like a fictional self help tale and I really liked the characters.

It is a well written story telling the tale of a couple, who like the rest of us have relationship ups and downs, and then a stranger enters their lives and gives them something to think about.

I like domestic fiction and I found this a deep and quite meaningful read..