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The New Couple
The perfect marriage. The perfect house. The perfect secret…
As I step through the cherry-red door of my new home, I know I should feel like the luckiest woman alive. I have a handsome husband, a beautiful daughter and now the house of my dreams. And to everyone else my life looks perfect…
When the neighbours stop by to welcome us, I tell them my name is Stephanie Hamlin and, under the watchful gaze of my husband Richard, I introduce him and our curly haired little girl Poppy. I smile as wide as I can and desperately hope I can fit in to this exclusive place with its pretty communal gardens. Because I’ve risked everything to be here.
Behind closed doors I try to relax, to unwind in the huge clawfoot bath and forget about my complicated past. It’s hard being the new couple on the street when you’ve got secrets.
Because the truth is, my charming husband isn’t really my husband.
And I’m not Stephanie Hamlin…
As I step through the cherry-red door of my new home, I know I should feel like the luckiest woman alive. I have a handsome husband, a beautiful daughter and now the house of my dreams. And to everyone else my life looks perfect…
When the neighbours stop by to welcome us, I tell them my name is Stephanie Hamlin and, under the watchful gaze of my husband Richard, I introduce him and our curly haired little girl Poppy. I smile as wide as I can and desperately hope I can fit in to this exclusive place with its pretty communal gardens. Because I’ve risked everything to be here.
Behind closed doors I try to relax, to unwind in the huge clawfoot bath and forget about my complicated past. It’s hard being the new couple on the street when you’ve got secrets.
Because the truth is, my charming husband isn’t really my husband.
And I’m not Stephanie Hamlin…
296 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2022
4915 people are currently reading
5751 people want to read
About the author
Alison James
10 books351 followersI was born in the Cotswolds but spent most of my formative years abroad. I studied languages at Oxford, then became a journalist and author, returning to university after my two children to take a law degree. After a three-year stint as a criminal paralegal, I worked as a commercial copywriter and then a TV storyliner, before coming full circle to write fiction again.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 629 reviews
September 11, 2022
House of Cards.
A new couple moves into Jane’s prestigious neighborhood but when she stops by to welcome them with a casserole and an offer to assist, things don’t seem quite right. Hmmmm…
After an enticing prologue, a few inauspicious chapters ensue which caused me to question whether this would be a let down from how much I enjoyed two of the author’s other books.
However, no worries, because the story took hold soon after and morphed into quite the domestic thriller! I don’t want to give anything away, but there are numerous illegal and sordid elements at play here with a sinister undertone.
If you like neighborhood gossip, intrigue, infidelity, and crime, this may be for you too. I know that I won’t see a ‘For Sale’ sign quite the same after reading this book!
Thank you to the author Alison James, Bookouture, and Netgalley for my electronic review copy due to publish on September 27, 2022.
A new couple moves into Jane’s prestigious neighborhood but when she stops by to welcome them with a casserole and an offer to assist, things don’t seem quite right. Hmmmm…
After an enticing prologue, a few inauspicious chapters ensue which caused me to question whether this would be a let down from how much I enjoyed two of the author’s other books.
However, no worries, because the story took hold soon after and morphed into quite the domestic thriller! I don’t want to give anything away, but there are numerous illegal and sordid elements at play here with a sinister undertone.
If you like neighborhood gossip, intrigue, infidelity, and crime, this may be for you too. I know that I won’t see a ‘For Sale’ sign quite the same after reading this book!
Thank you to the author Alison James, Bookouture, and Netgalley for my electronic review copy due to publish on September 27, 2022.
September 29, 2022
This felt like a book of two halves.
To start with, the story is a slow-burn, where it builds the suspense and intrigue and then all of a sudden- yikes!
Once the twists and drama kicked off, I struggled to put it down and finished it in a matter of hours.
The characters were strong, interesting and on the whole likeable.
I just love thrillers that grab me straight away, and this took a few chapters to do that. But it is definitely worth a read for fans of domestic thrillers.
To start with, the story is a slow-burn, where it builds the suspense and intrigue and then all of a sudden- yikes!
Once the twists and drama kicked off, I struggled to put it down and finished it in a matter of hours.
The characters were strong, interesting and on the whole likeable.
I just love thrillers that grab me straight away, and this took a few chapters to do that. But it is definitely worth a read for fans of domestic thrillers.
August 24, 2022
The New Couple, by Alison James
The premise of A New Couple by Alison James is very interesting and unique. It is a twisty story with juicy lies and ultimate betrayal.
Synopsis:
When Richard and Stephanie Hamlin win a house, their quaint close-knit neighborhood is buzzing with excitement. A house is not something you win everyday, but as neighbors drop by to welcome the young family they notice strange occurring events. What secrets are Richard and Stephanie hiding?
A New Couple is a slow burn that takes a bit to get into. The book is told from several different perspectives with an overall intriguing plot. The characters are a mixture of likeable versus unsavory which kept me quickly turning the pages. Although the plot feels a touch long, the ending ties the book together with a satisfying conclusion. This is my first read by Alison James and I look forward to reading more of her work.
The New Couple by Alison James is available on September 27th.
(3.75 ⭐⭐⭐💫)
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for sharing this unique book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
The premise of A New Couple by Alison James is very interesting and unique. It is a twisty story with juicy lies and ultimate betrayal.
Synopsis:
When Richard and Stephanie Hamlin win a house, their quaint close-knit neighborhood is buzzing with excitement. A house is not something you win everyday, but as neighbors drop by to welcome the young family they notice strange occurring events. What secrets are Richard and Stephanie hiding?
A New Couple is a slow burn that takes a bit to get into. The book is told from several different perspectives with an overall intriguing plot. The characters are a mixture of likeable versus unsavory which kept me quickly turning the pages. Although the plot feels a touch long, the ending ties the book together with a satisfying conclusion. This is my first read by Alison James and I look forward to reading more of her work.
The New Couple by Alison James is available on September 27th.
(3.75 ⭐⭐⭐💫)
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for sharing this unique book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
August 10, 2023
There’s a new couple in the neighborhood. At first glance, they seem to be the typical happy little family. Unanswered questions start to accumulate and all is not as it seems. This thriller is entertaining with twists and turns sprinkled throughout. I loved how the story was told from different perspectives revealing some answers while delivering high-intensity and mind-blowing suspense. This is a fast-paced original clever thriller that was satisfying and addictive. Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture for my copy.
September 16, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
As I step through my cherry-red door of my new home, I know I should feel like the luckiest woman alive. I have a handsome husband, a beautiful daughter and now the house of my dreams. and to everyone else my life looks perfect.... When the neighbours stop by to welcome us, I tell them my name is Stephanie Hamlin and, under the watchful gaze of my husband Richard, I introduce him and our curly haired little girl Poppy. I smile as wide as I can and desperately hope I can fit into this exclusive place with its pretty communal gardens. Because I've risked everything to be here.
There's quite a lot going on in this book. It's complex, full of twists, intriguing but the pace is slow at the beginning. But suddenly, the pace picks up and it's hard to put the book down. Sycamore Gardens has a new couple that's just moved in, but who are they, and what are they hiding from? The story is split into two sections and each character told their own point of view. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, so I took off half a star for that. This is a quick and easy to read story.
I would like to thank #Netgalley #Bookouture and the author #AlisonJames for my ARC of #TheNewCouple in exchange for an honest review.
As I step through my cherry-red door of my new home, I know I should feel like the luckiest woman alive. I have a handsome husband, a beautiful daughter and now the house of my dreams. and to everyone else my life looks perfect.... When the neighbours stop by to welcome us, I tell them my name is Stephanie Hamlin and, under the watchful gaze of my husband Richard, I introduce him and our curly haired little girl Poppy. I smile as wide as I can and desperately hope I can fit into this exclusive place with its pretty communal gardens. Because I've risked everything to be here.
There's quite a lot going on in this book. It's complex, full of twists, intriguing but the pace is slow at the beginning. But suddenly, the pace picks up and it's hard to put the book down. Sycamore Gardens has a new couple that's just moved in, but who are they, and what are they hiding from? The story is split into two sections and each character told their own point of view. I did feel the ending was a bit rushed, so I took off half a star for that. This is a quick and easy to read story.
I would like to thank #Netgalley #Bookouture and the author #AlisonJames for my ARC of #TheNewCouple in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2022
Stephanie and Richard Hamlin move into 12 Sycamore Gardens. A house in a wealthy suburb with a close nit community. The young couple are winners of a lottery, and the prize was the house. Jean Headley who lives at number 6, is curious to find out more about her new neighbours. But when she knocks on the door at number 12. She doesn’t get the welcome that she was expecting. The complete opposite in fact. But that doesn’t stop her wanting to find out more about the couple.
Thank you, Bookoutre for a copy of ‘The new couple by Alison James’. I have read most of Alison James’s book, so I was looking forward to reading this. This has an intriguing, unique storyline but I found this to be a slow burner of a story. and it didn’t pick up until halfway through the book. It had a solid storyline, but I didn’t much care for the characters, and I didn’t understand why the author kept going a repeating bit of the story again and again. 3.5 stars from me.
Thank you, Bookoutre for a copy of ‘The new couple by Alison James’. I have read most of Alison James’s book, so I was looking forward to reading this. This has an intriguing, unique storyline but I found this to be a slow burner of a story. and it didn’t pick up until halfway through the book. It had a solid storyline, but I didn’t much care for the characters, and I didn’t understand why the author kept going a repeating bit of the story again and again. 3.5 stars from me.
May 29, 2023
While I did enjoy the secrecy and mystery surrounding the residents of Sycamore Gardens, I struggled with the pacing and repetitiveness of this suspense novel. The three POVs were interesting, but it meant that the events were repeated with each retelling and this is where I started to lose interest and skim-read. The twist in the second half had me stunned!
Despite not liking this novel as much as ‘The Man She Married,’ I’ll still read another book by this author.
Despite not liking this novel as much as ‘The Man She Married,’ I’ll still read another book by this author.
September 18, 2022
With a perfect marriage - not...the perfect couple - not...the perfect house. Well, one out of three is correct. Stephanie Hamlin, husband Richard and baby Poppy are about to move into a beautifully renovated house in an exclusive neighborhood. The thing is, Stephanie and Richard are not married. And Poppy is not there little girl. The manner in which this fabricated family move into the house is the mystery that goes from bad to worse in this latest book by Alison James.
Stephanie and Richard are trying settle into the new house in a low key manner. However, they have a welcoming new neighbor named Jane Headley. Stephanie is not so appreciative of Jane noticing that they have moved in and is more than a bit rude. Therefore, Jane is then rather surprised when Stephanie ends up knocking on her door and all but pushes Poppy into her arms and asks her to babysit. Jane agrees, and ends up watching the baby a few times, but she still does not see much of Richard.
As the story progresses, the nefarious nature behind Stephanie and Richard's activities begins to come clear. The story is full of intrigue as Stephanie, Richard and his brother create a plan, begin to follow through with it, all while not caring about any consequences that might face them.
In this book, while Jane's suspicions grow by leaps and bounds, she pushes and pushes in order to figure things out. Meanwhile, the other characters who are not who they portend to be continue on an irreversible past. Kudos to Alison James for writing such a different story with difficult characters, lots of twists, even pacing, devastating secrets and a satisfying read. Definitely another winner for me.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Stephanie and Richard are trying settle into the new house in a low key manner. However, they have a welcoming new neighbor named Jane Headley. Stephanie is not so appreciative of Jane noticing that they have moved in and is more than a bit rude. Therefore, Jane is then rather surprised when Stephanie ends up knocking on her door and all but pushes Poppy into her arms and asks her to babysit. Jane agrees, and ends up watching the baby a few times, but she still does not see much of Richard.
As the story progresses, the nefarious nature behind Stephanie and Richard's activities begins to come clear. The story is full of intrigue as Stephanie, Richard and his brother create a plan, begin to follow through with it, all while not caring about any consequences that might face them.
In this book, while Jane's suspicions grow by leaps and bounds, she pushes and pushes in order to figure things out. Meanwhile, the other characters who are not who they portend to be continue on an irreversible past. Kudos to Alison James for writing such a different story with difficult characters, lots of twists, even pacing, devastating secrets and a satisfying read. Definitely another winner for me.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
June 14, 2024
Ugh, it just went on there for a while
September 18, 2022
This started off so well and I had high hopes for this book. But, it suddenly dipped and got very slow and dragged for the rest of the book. Shame as I thought this would be a good one. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
September 30, 2022
BLOG TOUR REVIEW
Review for 'The New Couple' by Alison James.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Alison James, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 27th September 2022.
This is the third book I have read by this author. I have previously read Alison's 'Her Sister's Child' and 'The Guilty Wife' which I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'If you love Behind Closed Doors, My Lovely Wife and The Perfect Couple, you’ll be hooked.' I am a fan of 'Behind Closed Doors' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Alison and if this is half as good as 'Her Sister's Child' and 'The Guilty Wife' it is sure to be an epic read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue, 43 chapters and an epilogue and is spread over 4 parts. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in London, England 🏴. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Jane Headley, Keren Stockley and Liam Devenish. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS FAST PACED PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER!!!
WOW!!! If you are looking for a psychological thriller filled with twists then this is the book for you. It starts of a slow burn domestic drama and then builds up into a fast paced, intriguing, page turning psychological thriller that will have you hooked. I just could not put it down and ended up reading it in one sitting!! It is absolutely ram packed with secrets, lies, romance, gossip, crime and so much more. I'm not going to go into the storyline too much as I'm a bit worried ill give something away and I don't want to spoil it for future readers. I do want to say a HUGE WELL done to Alice on the plot which is absolutely unique as well as intriguing. I love the idea of someone being able to win a home in a prestigious neighbourhood for the price of a raffle ticket and all the disruption it may cause for current residents. I was able to picture everything perfectly thanks to Alice's vivid descriptions and she created the neighbourhood with the variety of neighbours ensuring that it was all realistic. Sycamore Gardens sounds absolutely beautiful and everything just came alive as I was turning the pages. The community includes the body neighbours, the gossip, the posh neighbours, affairs, the organiser and everything that is likely in a small community street. I absolutely love the way that Alice has written this in four parts with each part showing us everything that is going on through the eyes of each main protagonist.
Clear your schedules and get ready for a rollercoaster ride of drama!!
The characters were well realistic, well defined and jumped out of the pages. I can't say much at all without ruining it for others but there was a great mix and every single one of them had a unique personality. There was the nosy neighbour, the stuck up posh neighbour, the neighbour with the monster kids, the organising neighbour, the neighbour who constantly worked, the ex Met neighbour, the organising neighbour all thrown together in a beautiful street filled with gossip, affairs, and one major drama about to unfold!!
Well done Alison on another successful psychological thriller and here's to many more 🍷🍹 🥃!!
Overall a unique psychological thriller that will have you up until 2am finishing it!!!
Genres covered in this novel include Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Fiction and Holiday Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Behind Closed Doors, My Lovely Wife, The Perfect Couple, The Guest List and The Wife Between Us
296 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle or free on kindle unlimited and £7.99 in paperback via Amazon at time of review which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheNewCouple #Bookouture #AlisonJames #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@AlisonJames @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
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https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3...
Review for 'The New Couple' by Alison James.
Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Alison James, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous
Publication date 27th September 2022.
This is the third book I have read by this author. I have previously read Alison's 'Her Sister's Child' and 'The Guilty Wife' which I highly recommend.
I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'If you love Behind Closed Doors, My Lovely Wife and The Perfect Couple, you’ll be hooked.' I am a fan of 'Behind Closed Doors' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Alison and if this is half as good as 'Her Sister's Child' and 'The Guilty Wife' it is sure to be an epic read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).
This novel consists of a prologue, 43 chapters and an epilogue and is spread over 4 parts. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!
This book is based in London, England 🏴. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture.
This book is written in third person perspective and the main protagonists are Jane Headley, Keren Stockley and Liam Devenish. The benefits of third person perspective with multiple protagonists are that it let's you see the bigger picture of what's going on and you get to know more characters more, what they are thinking and what they are doing. It feels like you get to see the whole picture and not miss out in anything.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVED THIS FAST PACED PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER!!!
WOW!!! If you are looking for a psychological thriller filled with twists then this is the book for you. It starts of a slow burn domestic drama and then builds up into a fast paced, intriguing, page turning psychological thriller that will have you hooked. I just could not put it down and ended up reading it in one sitting!! It is absolutely ram packed with secrets, lies, romance, gossip, crime and so much more. I'm not going to go into the storyline too much as I'm a bit worried ill give something away and I don't want to spoil it for future readers. I do want to say a HUGE WELL done to Alice on the plot which is absolutely unique as well as intriguing. I love the idea of someone being able to win a home in a prestigious neighbourhood for the price of a raffle ticket and all the disruption it may cause for current residents. I was able to picture everything perfectly thanks to Alice's vivid descriptions and she created the neighbourhood with the variety of neighbours ensuring that it was all realistic. Sycamore Gardens sounds absolutely beautiful and everything just came alive as I was turning the pages. The community includes the body neighbours, the gossip, the posh neighbours, affairs, the organiser and everything that is likely in a small community street. I absolutely love the way that Alice has written this in four parts with each part showing us everything that is going on through the eyes of each main protagonist.
Clear your schedules and get ready for a rollercoaster ride of drama!!
The characters were well realistic, well defined and jumped out of the pages. I can't say much at all without ruining it for others but there was a great mix and every single one of them had a unique personality. There was the nosy neighbour, the stuck up posh neighbour, the neighbour with the monster kids, the organising neighbour, the neighbour who constantly worked, the ex Met neighbour, the organising neighbour all thrown together in a beautiful street filled with gossip, affairs, and one major drama about to unfold!!
Well done Alison on another successful psychological thriller and here's to many more 🍷🍹 🥃!!
Overall a unique psychological thriller that will have you up until 2am finishing it!!!
Genres covered in this novel include Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Psychological Fiction and Holiday Fiction amongst others.
I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Behind Closed Doors, My Lovely Wife, The Perfect Couple, The Guest List and The Wife Between Us
296 pages.
This book is just £1.99 to purchase on kindle or free on kindle unlimited and £7.99 in paperback via Amazon at time of review which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!
Rated 5 /5 (I loved it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.
Feel free to add me on Goodreads or follow me on my website or Facebook for more reviews
#TheNewCouple #Bookouture #AlisonJames #NetGalley #BookReview #BlogTour #BooksOnTour
@AlisonJames @Bookouture @Bookworm1986 @bookworm86
https://kcmw86.wixsite.com/bookworm86
https://m.facebook.com/Bookworm1986/?...
https://m.facebook.com/Bookwork86/?__...
https://www.instagram.com/bookwormwhi...
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3...
October 18, 2022
The first half is told in Jane Headley’s POV. Jane, a teacher, and her husband, a professor, are empty nesters living in the established Sycamore Gardens at number 5. She gets herself involved with the “new couple” Richard & Stephanie Hamlin and daughter Poppy living at number 12. Jane delves into Richard’s past visiting his office where he’s an accountant, but things aren’t adding up. The second half is told by Keren and Liam. This is a bit predictable, but nonetheless I read it one sitting! Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy.
November 10, 2022
Between 2.5 and 3 stars (average 2.75 stars)
This book was OK, but that's all it was. Whilst there are some good plot developments, the twist is revealed too soon and the rest of the story becomes quite a repetitive saga about nosy neighbours and inexperienced criminals.
Storyline
Stephanie and Richard Hamlin are a young couple with a baby who win their dream home in a lottery to win a house rent and mortgage free. However Stephanie and Richard arouse suspicion from their new neighbours. There's something fishy about the new couple. What secrets are they hiding...?
The good
-The twist was quite good and parts of the story did shock and surprise me.
-I liked the premise behind the story and thought it was unique and interesting.
The bad
-The story was quite repetitive and slow paced at times. I found Jane's parts a bit boring- she just came across as a nosy neighbour with little to do other than check up on her neighbours.
-I found the story a bit unrealistic.
-I didn't really care for any of the characters. They were either unlikeable, uninteresting or both. There were a lot of characters that didn't add much value or interest to the story like Trish and Danielle.
Conclusion
This was an average and forgettable read with flat characters. It wasn't really my cup of tea, but others might enjoy it especially those who are more into crime thrillers.
Grade
Characterisation: C
Ending: C+
Setting: C-
Suspense: B
Writing style and flow: C
Overall grade: C
This book was OK, but that's all it was. Whilst there are some good plot developments, the twist is revealed too soon and the rest of the story becomes quite a repetitive saga about nosy neighbours and inexperienced criminals.
Storyline
Stephanie and Richard Hamlin are a young couple with a baby who win their dream home in a lottery to win a house rent and mortgage free. However Stephanie and Richard arouse suspicion from their new neighbours. There's something fishy about the new couple. What secrets are they hiding...?
The good
-The twist was quite good and parts of the story did shock and surprise me.
-I liked the premise behind the story and thought it was unique and interesting.
The bad
-The story was quite repetitive and slow paced at times. I found Jane's parts a bit boring- she just came across as a nosy neighbour with little to do other than check up on her neighbours.
-I found the story a bit unrealistic.
-I didn't really care for any of the characters. They were either unlikeable, uninteresting or both. There were a lot of characters that didn't add much value or interest to the story like Trish and Danielle.
Conclusion
This was an average and forgettable read with flat characters. It wasn't really my cup of tea, but others might enjoy it especially those who are more into crime thrillers.
Grade
Characterisation: C
Ending: C+
Setting: C-
Suspense: B
Writing style and flow: C
Overall grade: C
September 9, 2023
The New Couple by Alison James is a twisty unputdownable book! With every chapter, the mystery and suspense builds up a notch higher. The entire book in divided into parts from the various characters POV which does makes for an interesting read but gets repetitive in places. Nonetheless its interesting to see the same situation processed by the different characters in such different ways. I was rooting for Jane for throughout the book. Even though she was meddlesome she was refreshingly different from other protagonists. Her mundane life actually made for interesting reading. I just hope we saw an epilogue with her fast forward to the good part of her life where she's the boss! She totally deserved it. The other characters in the book were also very good! The plot was amazing but had a few plot holes. I was hoping those would be explored or explained but sadly not. Despite everything I still loved this book and found a unique, twisty & gripping plot. I would recommend this book to a lover of the suspense/ mystery genre.
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture & Alison James for this arc!
Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture & Alison James for this arc!
November 21, 2022
I almost DNFed the book during part 1. I was so bored. But something told me to pick it up back up. I've never read this author, so I wasn't sure what to expect.
Then the next parts bent my mind again and again. I'm so glad that I finished it. If you like twisty stuff, check this one out
Then the next parts bent my mind again and again. I'm so glad that I finished it. If you like twisty stuff, check this one out
August 27, 2022
Hickory Dickory Dock! 😳😯😳
While I totally enjoyed the promise of the original plot & potential it seemed to hold, I'm afraid it wasn't as captivating and thrilling as it seemed to promise. It had some great qualities, great writing, some real good suspense and mystery, & I very much enjoyed the unveiling of secrets and some plot twists. However, I feel it just fell flat for me and left me unsatisfied. I found it easy to figure everything out and the "thrill" aspect didn't live up to the hype how I had hoped for. Now, that being said, the ending was satisfying and tied up nicely. The few twists were very yummy and I still enjoyed it non-the-less. But it was more of a fast-paced, doesn't need my entire attention type novel. It did the job but was lack-luster on delivery unfortunately. I will say this author has some real potential & I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled and give her another chance because it had some great attributes!
Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: When Stephanie and Richard are the winners of a house lottery in a very wealthy neighbourhood, you would think it's everything they'd want. But it's nothing at all for what they'd envisioned once they move in. Jane is the neighbour across the street and tries to welcome them, but finds them both peculiar especially with their daughter, Poppy. As Jane gets involved and feels things aren't right at all, she'll realize the answers are far more than she bargained for. Possibly deadly...
Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC.
Release Date: September 27, 2022
𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 2.5 / 5 Beach Waves! 🌊
While I totally enjoyed the promise of the original plot & potential it seemed to hold, I'm afraid it wasn't as captivating and thrilling as it seemed to promise. It had some great qualities, great writing, some real good suspense and mystery, & I very much enjoyed the unveiling of secrets and some plot twists. However, I feel it just fell flat for me and left me unsatisfied. I found it easy to figure everything out and the "thrill" aspect didn't live up to the hype how I had hoped for. Now, that being said, the ending was satisfying and tied up nicely. The few twists were very yummy and I still enjoyed it non-the-less. But it was more of a fast-paced, doesn't need my entire attention type novel. It did the job but was lack-luster on delivery unfortunately. I will say this author has some real potential & I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled and give her another chance because it had some great attributes!
Mყ 𝐒ყɴ𝐨ρѕιѕ: When Stephanie and Richard are the winners of a house lottery in a very wealthy neighbourhood, you would think it's everything they'd want. But it's nothing at all for what they'd envisioned once they move in. Jane is the neighbour across the street and tries to welcome them, but finds them both peculiar especially with their daughter, Poppy. As Jane gets involved and feels things aren't right at all, she'll realize the answers are far more than she bargained for. Possibly deadly...
Thank you to NetGalley & Bookouture for this ARC.
Release Date: September 27, 2022
𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭: 2.5 / 5 Beach Waves! 🌊
April 28, 2023
What a great read! I truly appreciated the story being told by different point of views. A lot of thought provoking scenes and kept me on my toes!
March 8, 2023
I didn’t love it. Felt a little contrived and shallow. But I was curious and kept reading to find out what would happen.
February 10, 2023
Good concept, but too predictable. I never had that feeling of needing to read it, I just read it so I could finish
August 24, 2022
Thank you to Bookouture for the arc for this book! :))
My initial thoughts for this book were that it would be similar to The Family Upstairs, mainly because the covers were pretty similar lol.
I thought the way the story was structured was a good way of creating suspense. I didn’t really understand if Jane was going to have a big part in the plot after her section ended but I was glad to see her POV again at the end, otherwise it would’ve been quite pointless. Although I didn’t really like Jane much as a character, especially at the start. She was quite judgemental and snobbish, but I suppose if she lives in a very posh area like that she would be. I didn’t like how she judged Danielle just because she was a stay at home mum and goes to the gym; I feel like there could’ve been more traits of hers that made her unlikeable. Her fake tanning isn’t really enough.
Keren was a far more interesting character, and I thought it was pretty cool to see how she was connected to the Hamlins when her section first began. All the puzzle pieces began to connect and make a lot more sense. This is something else I liked about the book, it brought everything back to a nice ending that tied up any loose ends and was clean.
As for Liam, he didn’t really seem like an interesting character; he was pretty two dimensional and making him an angry person who likes to control women is just something we should see on the surface rather than his entire personality. We see him get stressed a few times but his thought processes aren’t delved into much deeper which is disappointing because the whole thing was his idea. Would’ve been nice to see more of a personality to him.
The writing is, for the most part, basic. It’s very monotone - she did this, she wore that, then she said this. It wasn’t very captivating and I would find myself skipping sentences just to get to the next plot point. One thing that took me out of it was how much such mundane things were talked about, just facts and figures. There was a whole paragraph and dialogue about getting a mortgage, getting a new job, how much bills cost etc. It felt so randomly placed and wasn’t interesting to read.
Some scenes would also just be repetitive - a dinner scene then Jane talks to a neighbour then another dinner scene. I understand why Jane thinks her life is a little dull.
Sometimes the dialogue is a little out of place too. Too many ‘bruvs’ (I say this as a south Londoner) and people Liam and Keren’s age don’t really say ‘Christ’s sake, woman’.
The ending was good, but it was pretty coincidental - they had great luck on their side. But I suppose it adds some more drama, even though it felt a little rushed.
I appreciated that it was a fast paced read though it did feel like an ITV drama. Overall I would rate it a 2.5/3 but Goodreads doesn’t allow half stars. I think it was a good, quick read with good plot twists (I did genuinely gasp a couple of times) but it’s not one for a lot of mulling over once you’re finished.
My initial thoughts for this book were that it would be similar to The Family Upstairs, mainly because the covers were pretty similar lol.
I thought the way the story was structured was a good way of creating suspense. I didn’t really understand if Jane was going to have a big part in the plot after her section ended but I was glad to see her POV again at the end, otherwise it would’ve been quite pointless. Although I didn’t really like Jane much as a character, especially at the start. She was quite judgemental and snobbish, but I suppose if she lives in a very posh area like that she would be. I didn’t like how she judged Danielle just because she was a stay at home mum and goes to the gym; I feel like there could’ve been more traits of hers that made her unlikeable. Her fake tanning isn’t really enough.
Keren was a far more interesting character, and I thought it was pretty cool to see how she was connected to the Hamlins when her section first began. All the puzzle pieces began to connect and make a lot more sense. This is something else I liked about the book, it brought everything back to a nice ending that tied up any loose ends and was clean.
As for Liam, he didn’t really seem like an interesting character; he was pretty two dimensional and making him an angry person who likes to control women is just something we should see on the surface rather than his entire personality. We see him get stressed a few times but his thought processes aren’t delved into much deeper which is disappointing because the whole thing was his idea. Would’ve been nice to see more of a personality to him.
The writing is, for the most part, basic. It’s very monotone - she did this, she wore that, then she said this. It wasn’t very captivating and I would find myself skipping sentences just to get to the next plot point. One thing that took me out of it was how much such mundane things were talked about, just facts and figures. There was a whole paragraph and dialogue about getting a mortgage, getting a new job, how much bills cost etc. It felt so randomly placed and wasn’t interesting to read.
Some scenes would also just be repetitive - a dinner scene then Jane talks to a neighbour then another dinner scene. I understand why Jane thinks her life is a little dull.
Sometimes the dialogue is a little out of place too. Too many ‘bruvs’ (I say this as a south Londoner) and people Liam and Keren’s age don’t really say ‘Christ’s sake, woman’.
The ending was good, but it was pretty coincidental - they had great luck on their side. But I suppose it adds some more drama, even though it felt a little rushed.
I appreciated that it was a fast paced read though it did feel like an ITV drama. Overall I would rate it a 2.5/3 but Goodreads doesn’t allow half stars. I think it was a good, quick read with good plot twists (I did genuinely gasp a couple of times) but it’s not one for a lot of mulling over once you’re finished.
September 2, 2022
The perfect marriage. The perfect house. The perfect secret… As I step through the cherry-red door of my new home, I know I should feel like the luckiest woman alive. I have a handsome husband, a beautiful daughter and now the house of my dreams. And to everyone else my life looks perfect…
Life is not always what it seems and neither are people. This sets up this story that I could not get enough of as I was madly turning the pages waiting for the destruction of one couple's lives to come tumbling down by some very manipulative and self centred people, intent of filling their own greed and desires. To say that karma will eventually get you is an understatement and it it very satisfying to see this at work. There are a lot of very unlikable characters but again, as in many books, it is these characters that dominate the story and make it what it is.
This is a not a deep read by any means, but that does not make is less enjoyable, it definitely passed a few hours for me where I was able to escape into another world. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.
Life is not always what it seems and neither are people. This sets up this story that I could not get enough of as I was madly turning the pages waiting for the destruction of one couple's lives to come tumbling down by some very manipulative and self centred people, intent of filling their own greed and desires. To say that karma will eventually get you is an understatement and it it very satisfying to see this at work. There are a lot of very unlikable characters but again, as in many books, it is these characters that dominate the story and make it what it is.
This is a not a deep read by any means, but that does not make is less enjoyable, it definitely passed a few hours for me where I was able to escape into another world. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book.
April 26, 2023
When the Hamlin’s win a brand new beautiful home in Sycamore gardens they probably thought they were quite lucky. However, that’s not quite how things turn out.
This book is told through several perspectives as it goes on, starting with nosy neighbor Jane Hadley. She keeps trying to get close to the Hamlin’s and begins watching their baby, Poppy, on several occasions when Stephanie takes off to unknown locations.
Without giving spoilers, iIt turns out the Hamlin’s may not be quite who they said they were, as things unravel the tension gets worse and worse until someone cracks…
4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookotoure for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book is told through several perspectives as it goes on, starting with nosy neighbor Jane Hadley. She keeps trying to get close to the Hamlin’s and begins watching their baby, Poppy, on several occasions when Stephanie takes off to unknown locations.
Without giving spoilers, iIt turns out the Hamlin’s may not be quite who they said they were, as things unravel the tension gets worse and worse until someone cracks…
4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookotoure for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
August 23, 2022
Stephanie and Richard Hamlin are the lucky winners of a lottery for a gorgeous house at 12 Sycamore Gardens. The neighbors of this close-knit community are all atwitter when the young couple moves in, with Jane Headley at number 6 being particularly curious. Jane is eager to meet the new neighbors and help them get settled in, only to find herself rebuffed by their frosty attitudes. But that doesn’t deter Jane, she’s more curious than ever to figure out what’s going on with her mysterious neighbors.
I think the blurb is a bit spoiler-y, so I recommend not reading it and going into this one blind. This is a solid mystery told from the perspective of three narrators. One is Jane, and the other two are her new neighbors. I love multiple narrator novels, but this one is a bit repetitive with more than one narrator recounting dialogue word for word. It’s got plenty of twists, with some I easily guessed and some that were a surprise. Overall, an enjoyable and quick read.
This book does depend on a personal pet peeve of mine – the inexplicably over-invested character. Why on earth does Jane care so much about what her neighbors are up to? Most people would probably just steer clear and give these neighbors the side eye, but Jane is kind of obsessed. Her husband and others even tell her to knock it off with the busybody routine, but she’s too wrapped up in her amateur sleuthing. It seems so implausible that a person would put their relationships and even their personal safety at risk over someone they barely know, but again, this is just a “me” thing and lots of other readers won’t mind it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.
I think the blurb is a bit spoiler-y, so I recommend not reading it and going into this one blind. This is a solid mystery told from the perspective of three narrators. One is Jane, and the other two are her new neighbors. I love multiple narrator novels, but this one is a bit repetitive with more than one narrator recounting dialogue word for word. It’s got plenty of twists, with some I easily guessed and some that were a surprise. Overall, an enjoyable and quick read.
This book does depend on a personal pet peeve of mine – the inexplicably over-invested character. Why on earth does Jane care so much about what her neighbors are up to? Most people would probably just steer clear and give these neighbors the side eye, but Jane is kind of obsessed. Her husband and others even tell her to knock it off with the busybody routine, but she’s too wrapped up in her amateur sleuthing. It seems so implausible that a person would put their relationships and even their personal safety at risk over someone they barely know, but again, this is just a “me” thing and lots of other readers won’t mind it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me an advance copy of this book.
September 29, 2022
The New Couple by Alison James is a highly recommended mystery/thriller
When a renovated house in an upscale neighborhood is offered as a prize in a charity lottery, it is won by Stephanie and Richard Hamlin. The neighborhood is curious to meet the new residents, so when they are moving in along with their young daughter Poppy, and neighbor Jane Headley swiftly drops by to welcome them to the neighborhood. Jane finds their reactions a bit off-putting and odd, but Fergus, her husband, is quick to point out that they just moved in. When Stephanie stops by the next day and asks if Jane can babysit Poppy because she has to go somewhere, Jane agrees, but this only initiates even more curiosity about the new family and she starts to look into their backgrounds.
There is no question that the initial chapter indicating someone is chained up in a basement will immediately grab your attention. Then, as Jane begins snooping into her new neighbors, things slow down a bit but readers will also have their suspicions rise that something is amiss. Then the narrative goes back and totally twists things up. The story is divided into four parts. The first part is basically told through Jane's observations, it then jumps back in time and switches to someone else's experiences, and eventually unfolds through three narrators.
The plot is engaging even while none of the characters are particularly likable. The key to enjoying the novel is getting the complete picture through all three narrators. You'll have to accept really nosy neighbors, as well as some great leaps of disbelief, but it will be worth it to fully experience this fast paced, fun, and entertaining read.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Bookouture via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/0...
When a renovated house in an upscale neighborhood is offered as a prize in a charity lottery, it is won by Stephanie and Richard Hamlin. The neighborhood is curious to meet the new residents, so when they are moving in along with their young daughter Poppy, and neighbor Jane Headley swiftly drops by to welcome them to the neighborhood. Jane finds their reactions a bit off-putting and odd, but Fergus, her husband, is quick to point out that they just moved in. When Stephanie stops by the next day and asks if Jane can babysit Poppy because she has to go somewhere, Jane agrees, but this only initiates even more curiosity about the new family and she starts to look into their backgrounds.
There is no question that the initial chapter indicating someone is chained up in a basement will immediately grab your attention. Then, as Jane begins snooping into her new neighbors, things slow down a bit but readers will also have their suspicions rise that something is amiss. Then the narrative goes back and totally twists things up. The story is divided into four parts. The first part is basically told through Jane's observations, it then jumps back in time and switches to someone else's experiences, and eventually unfolds through three narrators.
The plot is engaging even while none of the characters are particularly likable. The key to enjoying the novel is getting the complete picture through all three narrators. You'll have to accept really nosy neighbors, as well as some great leaps of disbelief, but it will be worth it to fully experience this fast paced, fun, and entertaining read.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Bookouture via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2022/0...
October 5, 2022
3 ⭐️
Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read this book In exchange for an honest review.
This story started strong. I was completely captivated about this couple who are struggling financially as the boyfriend seems to possibly have a gambling problem. Keren seems to really be a bit fed up with his antics.
Her boyfriend puts together an elaborate scheme to pretend they are the winners of this beautiful house as they both resemble the real winners. The only problem is what to do with the real winners? The bf has it all figured out, I’ll leave this for you to find out when you read the book.
The book was broken down into perspectives from some of the main characters. I found it a bit redundant as they went over some of the same info in many chapters.
The story line of someone pretending to be a winner and kidnapping the family who won was an intriguing one in my opinion.
Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read this book In exchange for an honest review.
This story started strong. I was completely captivated about this couple who are struggling financially as the boyfriend seems to possibly have a gambling problem. Keren seems to really be a bit fed up with his antics.
Her boyfriend puts together an elaborate scheme to pretend they are the winners of this beautiful house as they both resemble the real winners. The only problem is what to do with the real winners? The bf has it all figured out, I’ll leave this for you to find out when you read the book.
The book was broken down into perspectives from some of the main characters. I found it a bit redundant as they went over some of the same info in many chapters.
The story line of someone pretending to be a winner and kidnapping the family who won was an intriguing one in my opinion.
February 7, 2023
This was a quick read in anticipation of a new book club, but I was NOT a fan. Slow, plodding, predictable and unrealistic. Characters felt one dimensional. Many people were pulled in from the beginning but I found it annoying, and the prologue almost made me wait to read the book for next month and skip this one.
September 19, 2022
Definitely a page turner. People to love and to hate. Great story idea and well executed to pull you In. First for me from this author but will be looking forward to reading more.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.
Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.
June 25, 2023
Predictable and redundant. Story is told in 3 perspectives all starting in the same spot. The ending was predicable and I almost didn’t finish it because I knew how it ended. I did finish… and my prediction was right.
March 29, 2025
4 📖 Kindle
Quick and easy read. None of the characters were particularly likeable, but the story kept my attention. The ending felt a bit rushed/fell slightly flat, but I liked we got to see where everyone ended up. Overall I enjoyed the story.
Quick and easy read. None of the characters were particularly likeable, but the story kept my attention. The ending felt a bit rushed/fell slightly flat, but I liked we got to see where everyone ended up. Overall I enjoyed the story.
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