Book Review: The Perfect Neighbors | Sarah Pekkanen

This was a really enjoyable book. It alternates between 4 women’s lives in a small suburban street. Kellie has recently returned to work and is attracted to one of her new coworkers. She struggles with the pull between her marriage and family, and the excitement of a life outside of being a homemaker. Susan is gorgeous and successful, but is struggling with the end of her marriage and her ex-husband’s new relationship. Gigi is the wife of an emerging politician, but she has a hard time connecting with her teenage daughter. Her husband’s campaign picks up, and the toll it may take on her and her children make her wonder if it is worth it. Finally, Tessa is new to the neighborhood. She moved there with her family to escape a dark secret. Her story flashes back to “Before Newport Cove” as we learn more about what she is running from.

I would not categorize this as a psychological thriller, or even really as suspense. Though the story of Tessa unfolds throughout the novel, and you do wonder what she ran away from, it isn’t particularly suspenseful. This book is really a story about four women who have their own demons, and struggle to hold their families together as they try to keep their secrets hidden. It delves into a lot of family issues that I think many women struggle with throughout their life.

This book is a quick read and enjoyable. It didn’t have the same pull that some other books do for me. That said, I’m glad I read it. I may look into other books by this author at some point. It’s a fun, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, look at suburbia.