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The Bitches of Suburbia
Nothing much ever happened on Horseshoe Lane - why should it? It was, after all, just a normal suburban backwater with the usual cross section of growing families, ageing pensioners, the occasional singleton and a brace of curtain twitchers. The arrival of celebrity couple, Heavenly and Travis, however, changes all that. This glamourous pair unwittingly bring about a summer of competitive party throwing and over ambitious home improvement projects that will have disastrous and completely unforeseen consequences.
Neighbours who've got by for years with just the occasional chat over the garden fence about the unseasonable amount of rain are slowly nited by suspicion as a husband goes missing, a much loved cat turns up dead on a doorstep and Enid from No 7 is found badly injured at the foot of the cliff.
Could one person be responsible for all of this? Could that person be the strange and unlikeable Hilary Jones from No 9? There was only going to one way to find out and it's going to involve a lot of whisky...
In this her third novel, Owen's riveting new story finds a murky side to the suburbs, a side where petty jealousies and neighbourly rivalries escalate out of all control with calamitous results, all intricately observed with her usual dark sense of humour firmly to fore.
Neighbours who've got by for years with just the occasional chat over the garden fence about the unseasonable amount of rain are slowly nited by suspicion as a husband goes missing, a much loved cat turns up dead on a doorstep and Enid from No 7 is found badly injured at the foot of the cliff.
Could one person be responsible for all of this? Could that person be the strange and unlikeable Hilary Jones from No 9? There was only going to one way to find out and it's going to involve a lot of whisky...
In this her third novel, Owen's riveting new story finds a murky side to the suburbs, a side where petty jealousies and neighbourly rivalries escalate out of all control with calamitous results, all intricately observed with her usual dark sense of humour firmly to fore.
250 pages, Paperback
Published April 27, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
October 29, 2017
4☆ Fun, laugh out loud, curtain twitching gossip, I loved every minute.. I became the nosey neighbour!
The Bitches of Suburbia is a book about a select neighbourhood where everyone knows everyone, and keeping up with the neighbours is a must!!
That is until new neighbours move in!
The first few pages of this book had me drawn into Horseshoe Lane. The quirky details of all the neighbours and their houses.
The potential swingers and their hot tub, the very first neighbour on Horshoe lane an old lady busy body who doesn't conform to the current modern houses, the mums, the DIY couple who make the lane look untidy.
I was completely drawn In.
It Screams Desperate Housewives the TV series whilst reading this book. Which is my fave show!
Well you see all is about to change with the arrival of new neighbours!!
Heavenly and Travis are just not like the rest of the neighbours as you are about to discover!!
This book was a thrilling read it really did remind me of deperate housewives which is why I was so drawn into the characters of Horseshoe Lane.
Each chapter gives you an insight into each family. Which I adored as every single character had a story to tell behind the four walls they call home!
Is everything as it seems?
A perfect mix of humour, nosey neighbours, curtain twitching, gossip, secrets, a dark undertone of mystery, quirky fun characters.
What I loved most about this book, was that I became a nosey neighbour!!
I was able to delve behind the curtains and uncover the secrets of Horseshoe Lane by the turn of every page! Very clever!
I highly recommend The Bitches of Suburbia if you are looking for a fun, easy read, with gossip, mystery, secrets and nosey neighbours. This book won't let you down!!
The perfect read for chick lit, humour, women's fiction.
I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for a honest and fair review.
My Review is also on my blog website
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2017/1...
The Bitches of Suburbia is a book about a select neighbourhood where everyone knows everyone, and keeping up with the neighbours is a must!!
That is until new neighbours move in!
The first few pages of this book had me drawn into Horseshoe Lane. The quirky details of all the neighbours and their houses.
The potential swingers and their hot tub, the very first neighbour on Horshoe lane an old lady busy body who doesn't conform to the current modern houses, the mums, the DIY couple who make the lane look untidy.
I was completely drawn In.
It Screams Desperate Housewives the TV series whilst reading this book. Which is my fave show!
Well you see all is about to change with the arrival of new neighbours!!
Heavenly and Travis are just not like the rest of the neighbours as you are about to discover!!
This book was a thrilling read it really did remind me of deperate housewives which is why I was so drawn into the characters of Horseshoe Lane.
Each chapter gives you an insight into each family. Which I adored as every single character had a story to tell behind the four walls they call home!
Is everything as it seems?
A perfect mix of humour, nosey neighbours, curtain twitching, gossip, secrets, a dark undertone of mystery, quirky fun characters.
What I loved most about this book, was that I became a nosey neighbour!!
I was able to delve behind the curtains and uncover the secrets of Horseshoe Lane by the turn of every page! Very clever!
I highly recommend The Bitches of Suburbia if you are looking for a fun, easy read, with gossip, mystery, secrets and nosey neighbours. This book won't let you down!!
The perfect read for chick lit, humour, women's fiction.
I received this book from the Publisher in exchange for a honest and fair review.
My Review is also on my blog website
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2017/1...
October 29, 2017
I know some people will probably be put off by the title of this one but it’s actually what first caught my attention and made me think, now that sounds like the type of book I would like to read! I figured an author who was bold enough to use the word bitches in the title would have the type of sarcastic sense of humor that I love and boy was I right. This book was darkly humorous, sassy and a whole hell of a lot of fun.
Right from the start I got a Desperate Housewives vibe, there’s that same feisty spirit and campy, gossipy fun on Horseshoe Lane that there was on Wisteria Lane. The neighborhood is full of unique characters, some are pretty average and boring and others are downright scandalous, there’s even a married couple that are swingers!! So this is a little bit sexy, but not gratuitous but there are plenty of outrageous moments and naughty behavior. Out of all the residents I think Gertrude was my favorite, she’s a ninety something whisky drinking bad girl, what’s not to love?!
While there is some death and murder this read more like a cozy mystery with bite, it’s definitely not as cutesy as a cozy, it’s sharper and more cunning. A totally fun read written in an easy style, I would definitely read another one of Owen’s books.
Right from the start I got a Desperate Housewives vibe, there’s that same feisty spirit and campy, gossipy fun on Horseshoe Lane that there was on Wisteria Lane. The neighborhood is full of unique characters, some are pretty average and boring and others are downright scandalous, there’s even a married couple that are swingers!! So this is a little bit sexy, but not gratuitous but there are plenty of outrageous moments and naughty behavior. Out of all the residents I think Gertrude was my favorite, she’s a ninety something whisky drinking bad girl, what’s not to love?!
While there is some death and murder this read more like a cozy mystery with bite, it’s definitely not as cutesy as a cozy, it’s sharper and more cunning. A totally fun read written in an easy style, I would definitely read another one of Owen’s books.
October 29, 2017
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I really enjoyed this book and thought that it had some fantastic characters! The story was great, so easy to follow and very enjoyable! The plot was really well thought through and I loved how the dynamic changed after the arrival of Heavenly and Travis. The layout was perfect for the book as each chapter is about a person or family that lives on Horseshoe Lane and it makes you feel as though you are living with the characters and getting a sneaky peak in to their lives - it really does make you wonder what goes on behind the curtains of your neighbours! I have given the book a solid four stars and I really recommend this book, really enjoyed the writing style and Jane is definitely an author that I will look out for in the future!
I really enjoyed this book and thought that it had some fantastic characters! The story was great, so easy to follow and very enjoyable! The plot was really well thought through and I loved how the dynamic changed after the arrival of Heavenly and Travis. The layout was perfect for the book as each chapter is about a person or family that lives on Horseshoe Lane and it makes you feel as though you are living with the characters and getting a sneaky peak in to their lives - it really does make you wonder what goes on behind the curtains of your neighbours! I have given the book a solid four stars and I really recommend this book, really enjoyed the writing style and Jane is definitely an author that I will look out for in the future!
October 29, 2017
Favorite Quotes:
Kelly was quietly jealous, no, envious, of Enid’s carefree attitude to life: if Enid had any baggage she’d given it to a porter to carry, she was more buoyant than a fully inflated life jacket and she didn’t just seize the day, she grabbed it and shook it by the scruff of the neck till its teeth rattled.
Ginny Frost wasn’t just spotty, she was scary too, a permanently angry looking woman who gave the impression that her bite was indeed much worse than her bark, that only an invisible leash prevented her from launching herself at anyone or anything that displeased her, a pitbull without the lipstick.
…she’s not just sad, she’s nasty and eventually she’ll peel back her face and reveal the lizard skin underneath and her pupils will turn into slits but by then it will be too late.
…an ancient little walnut of a man, Phyllis’ neighbour and beau if he was to be believed, had presented her with a farewell gift from her old friend. Hence the stuffed squirrel wearing a tiny tuxedo and sporting a monocle and a top hat at a jaunty angle currently sitting in the basket on her bicycle handlebars.
‘Daddy, she looks like a Smurf!’ Jack Newman started coughing loudly. Hilary, completely unaware that the heat, the sweat and the blue dye in her cheap hat, had all combined with lethal effect, aided and abetted by her own efforts with the serviette and that her face was now as blue as one of Julie Anne’s contact lenses…
My Review:
Horseshoe Lane was populated by an eccentric and quirky collection of citizens, all of which had secrets and peculiar tendencies, and most had rather insular habits. I was fascinated by this odd microcosm on the British landscape and was highly entertained and engaged by the amusing and cleverly ironic descriptions, irresistible characters, and creative plot. I wore a near-constant smirk, frequently chortled, and will admit to (daintily, of course) barking a few laughs as well. The story was well-crafted and I enjoyed the author’s wit, comedic style, captivating characters, and pacing. This was a fun ride.
Poor clueless Hilary, the pitiful woman appeared to be cursed. She tried so hard and really threw herself into her efforts; but she was odd, socially artless, achingly lonely, and desperate to fit in. She had no support system, no family or friends, and set about improving herself by attempting to copy what she admired in the other ladies’ homes and their personal style, all of which tended to have a lurid result or (orange spray tan, infected piercing) just went horribly wrong, although was humorously recounted. Hilary was not the sharpest tool in the shed and was also hampered by being inexperienced, gullible, and devoid of common sense. However, the snide and petty women in the homes surrounding her were a bad combination with her deficiencies. After Hilary had spent all her money and was sliding deeper and deeper into debt in her efforts to fit in with the neighbors, the other ladies closed ranks and obviously excluded her from their activities until it was a total freeze out, with resentful and snarky comments being the norm.
All the while tragic, unfortunate, and unexplainable events began to befall the neighbors and poor Hilary being totally isolated, wasn’t coping well and unraveling at a steady rate. I pitied Hilary, she had meant well but more or less started off as a social pariah as she didn’t pick up on social cues and was prone to say the wrong things at the wrong times. However, Hilary had the last laugh, which produced one more of the many smirks I wore while reading this cleverly humorous and darkly comedic tale.
Kelly was quietly jealous, no, envious, of Enid’s carefree attitude to life: if Enid had any baggage she’d given it to a porter to carry, she was more buoyant than a fully inflated life jacket and she didn’t just seize the day, she grabbed it and shook it by the scruff of the neck till its teeth rattled.
Ginny Frost wasn’t just spotty, she was scary too, a permanently angry looking woman who gave the impression that her bite was indeed much worse than her bark, that only an invisible leash prevented her from launching herself at anyone or anything that displeased her, a pitbull without the lipstick.
…she’s not just sad, she’s nasty and eventually she’ll peel back her face and reveal the lizard skin underneath and her pupils will turn into slits but by then it will be too late.
…an ancient little walnut of a man, Phyllis’ neighbour and beau if he was to be believed, had presented her with a farewell gift from her old friend. Hence the stuffed squirrel wearing a tiny tuxedo and sporting a monocle and a top hat at a jaunty angle currently sitting in the basket on her bicycle handlebars.
‘Daddy, she looks like a Smurf!’ Jack Newman started coughing loudly. Hilary, completely unaware that the heat, the sweat and the blue dye in her cheap hat, had all combined with lethal effect, aided and abetted by her own efforts with the serviette and that her face was now as blue as one of Julie Anne’s contact lenses…
My Review:
Horseshoe Lane was populated by an eccentric and quirky collection of citizens, all of which had secrets and peculiar tendencies, and most had rather insular habits. I was fascinated by this odd microcosm on the British landscape and was highly entertained and engaged by the amusing and cleverly ironic descriptions, irresistible characters, and creative plot. I wore a near-constant smirk, frequently chortled, and will admit to (daintily, of course) barking a few laughs as well. The story was well-crafted and I enjoyed the author’s wit, comedic style, captivating characters, and pacing. This was a fun ride.
Poor clueless Hilary, the pitiful woman appeared to be cursed. She tried so hard and really threw herself into her efforts; but she was odd, socially artless, achingly lonely, and desperate to fit in. She had no support system, no family or friends, and set about improving herself by attempting to copy what she admired in the other ladies’ homes and their personal style, all of which tended to have a lurid result or (orange spray tan, infected piercing) just went horribly wrong, although was humorously recounted. Hilary was not the sharpest tool in the shed and was also hampered by being inexperienced, gullible, and devoid of common sense. However, the snide and petty women in the homes surrounding her were a bad combination with her deficiencies. After Hilary had spent all her money and was sliding deeper and deeper into debt in her efforts to fit in with the neighbors, the other ladies closed ranks and obviously excluded her from their activities until it was a total freeze out, with resentful and snarky comments being the norm.
All the while tragic, unfortunate, and unexplainable events began to befall the neighbors and poor Hilary being totally isolated, wasn’t coping well and unraveling at a steady rate. I pitied Hilary, she had meant well but more or less started off as a social pariah as she didn’t pick up on social cues and was prone to say the wrong things at the wrong times. However, Hilary had the last laugh, which produced one more of the many smirks I wore while reading this cleverly humorous and darkly comedic tale.
October 26, 2017
The Bitches of Suburbia is a well-written, easy, oftentimes, funny look at the suburbs. As the synopsis says, nothing really exciting happens on Horseshoe Lane. At least at first glance it doesn’t appear to. However, with the arrival of new neighbors who happen to be famous move in, the secrets that happen behind closed doors start coming out in the open!
There is so much going on within the pages of this book. Each chapter is about a person or family that lives on Horseshoe Lane, so I felt like an insider, like I was someone who knew the inner thoughts of each character. Instead of the characters running together or the plot being confusing, Owen just builds with each chapter until the twist at the end of the book.
If you want a book that is slightly different with quirky characters, I suggest you find yourself a comfortable chair with your favorite drink and meet Hilary, Kelly, Gertrude, Ginny, and the others of Horseshoe Lane. I guarantee you may never look at quiet suburbia in the same way again.
***Read and Reviewed for Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***
There is so much going on within the pages of this book. Each chapter is about a person or family that lives on Horseshoe Lane, so I felt like an insider, like I was someone who knew the inner thoughts of each character. Instead of the characters running together or the plot being confusing, Owen just builds with each chapter until the twist at the end of the book.
If you want a book that is slightly different with quirky characters, I suggest you find yourself a comfortable chair with your favorite drink and meet Hilary, Kelly, Gertrude, Ginny, and the others of Horseshoe Lane. I guarantee you may never look at quiet suburbia in the same way again.
***Read and Reviewed for Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews***
October 28, 2017
Jane Owen starts the book by painting the most eloquent picture of sleepy suburbia. Everyone can relate to at least one, if not all the characters who live on Horseshoe Lane. There is the bored housewife, eccentric single lady and a pair of swingers to name but a few. Everyone is judged from behind a pair of beautifully made to measure curtains. Imaginary points are scored for a tidy front garden and willingness to put the bins out on the right day. Pleasantries are kept to a minimum as the neighbours go about their lives, renewing and renovating in a bid to keep up and outdo each other.
That is until Heavenly Hills and her husband Travis move in and encourage the neighbours to meet socially for the first time. Of course, this leads to reciprocal gatherings and everyone is welcome…except one! Hilary Jones is different from the rest and therefore she has to go to great lengths to be accepted.
The outcome is fast-paced, funny and there is a shock around every corner. As much as I felt sorry for Hilary, she could be thoughtless and cruel at times, so my allegiance wavered frantically as the story progressed.
The characters in this book are described vividly, and although quirky, they are multi-layered and believable. All is not what it seems behind the lavish exteriors and some of the neighbours have secrets which they desperately want to remain hidden.
The humour throughout, ranges from laugh out loud moments, to a darker satire, which I found thoroughly enjoyable. Recommended for anyone who likes a character based, light read with plenty of laughs along the way.
Thank you to Rachel at @rararesources for offering me the opportunity to read and review this book.
That is until Heavenly Hills and her husband Travis move in and encourage the neighbours to meet socially for the first time. Of course, this leads to reciprocal gatherings and everyone is welcome…except one! Hilary Jones is different from the rest and therefore she has to go to great lengths to be accepted.
The outcome is fast-paced, funny and there is a shock around every corner. As much as I felt sorry for Hilary, she could be thoughtless and cruel at times, so my allegiance wavered frantically as the story progressed.
The characters in this book are described vividly, and although quirky, they are multi-layered and believable. All is not what it seems behind the lavish exteriors and some of the neighbours have secrets which they desperately want to remain hidden.
The humour throughout, ranges from laugh out loud moments, to a darker satire, which I found thoroughly enjoyable. Recommended for anyone who likes a character based, light read with plenty of laughs along the way.
Thank you to Rachel at @rararesources for offering me the opportunity to read and review this book.
October 23, 2017
Suburbia- or a rather exclusive version of it nestled on a hilltop overlooking the sea. Keeping up with the Jones’ is mandatory for Hillary who left her checkout job when she won several thousand on the lottery and bought her house there. She has no comprehension of debt, mortgages or in many ways real life. When she is invited to parties she arrives in what she thinks are the “latest” clothes. To everyone else they look like fancy dress. She wants her house and her clothes to look like those around her and of course things just don’t work out as she anticipated. Mutton dressed as lamb and a house that is akin to a building site. This is a wonderful light hearted read and at times you feel sorry for Hillary however she is her own worst enemy and won’t be guided- she just longs to fit in. Characters that come to life that you just can’t help smile at and a plot that weaves it merry way just when you thought all was settled. A well written easy, enjoyable read to brighten your day .I voluntarily chose to read this ARC and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased.
November 8, 2017
I've read a couple of books about neighbours this year, so I was intrigued to read The Bitches of Suburbia.
Unfortunately most of the story is told in the blurb, not leaving much to surprise the reader.
When I started reading the book, I found myself a little put off by overly long sentences which took up half my Kindle page, and I found myself re-reading them to try to make sense of what was written. However, as I read on and got more involved with the story, I didn't notice this so much.
Horseshoe Lane; a secluded cul-de-sac of beautiful houses, fabulous cliff-top views over the sea - what a place to live! That is until we meet the neighbours...
What a nasty, petty bunch they are! They mainly keep themselves to themselves, until the arrival of glamorous couple Heavenly and Travis. After their house-warming party, the other residents decide that partying is the life, and the competition hots up to see who can be the best hostess.
Surprisingly, the character I sympathised - or pitied - most with was the 'strange and unlikeable' Hilary Jones. She's one of society's misfits, naive, gauche, and struggles with social niceties, and cannot understand why everyone else thinks they are above her. She thinks imitation is the best way to prove her worth.
Hilary reminds me a little of Eleanor Oliphant, my literary heroine of 2017. In Gail Honeyman's book, I grew to love Eleanor's odd little ways, and there was a reason for her being as she was, and in the end her character was redeemed, with the help of her friends. Hilary, however, is not afforded the same kindness, and the events and treatment by her neighbours makes her even more disturbed.
This is written with a very dark humour, with a sense of schadenfreude and little hope of redemption for any of the characters. I felt a sense of unease the whole way through the book, and was left with a bitter taste when I finished reading it.
Unfortunately most of the story is told in the blurb, not leaving much to surprise the reader.
When I started reading the book, I found myself a little put off by overly long sentences which took up half my Kindle page, and I found myself re-reading them to try to make sense of what was written. However, as I read on and got more involved with the story, I didn't notice this so much.
Horseshoe Lane; a secluded cul-de-sac of beautiful houses, fabulous cliff-top views over the sea - what a place to live! That is until we meet the neighbours...
What a nasty, petty bunch they are! They mainly keep themselves to themselves, until the arrival of glamorous couple Heavenly and Travis. After their house-warming party, the other residents decide that partying is the life, and the competition hots up to see who can be the best hostess.
Surprisingly, the character I sympathised - or pitied - most with was the 'strange and unlikeable' Hilary Jones. She's one of society's misfits, naive, gauche, and struggles with social niceties, and cannot understand why everyone else thinks they are above her. She thinks imitation is the best way to prove her worth.
Hilary reminds me a little of Eleanor Oliphant, my literary heroine of 2017. In Gail Honeyman's book, I grew to love Eleanor's odd little ways, and there was a reason for her being as she was, and in the end her character was redeemed, with the help of her friends. Hilary, however, is not afforded the same kindness, and the events and treatment by her neighbours makes her even more disturbed.
This is written with a very dark humour, with a sense of schadenfreude and little hope of redemption for any of the characters. I felt a sense of unease the whole way through the book, and was left with a bitter taste when I finished reading it.
January 29, 2018
I really enjoyed this, although I have to admit I felt really sorry for Hilary the whole way through! The book was a great example of the effect intolerance can have on individuals, and was a very enjoyable read.
There were quite a lot of grammatical errors, which I found a little off-putting, but the story itself was entertaining and easy to read.
There were quite a lot of grammatical errors, which I found a little off-putting, but the story itself was entertaining and easy to read.
July 13, 2017
I won a copy of The Bitches of Suburbia in a Good Reads giveaway.
It was a nice, easy and very funny read with lots of characters I loved to hate.
You'll never look at your neighbours the same way again.
It was a nice, easy and very funny read with lots of characters I loved to hate.
You'll never look at your neighbours the same way again.
June 10, 2017
Owen, like a stand up comedian, grasps detail and exaggerates to cringing effect. Hilary Jones,played by Melissa McCarthy for the movie please. lol .... A definite thumbs up .
October 25, 2017
I received a copy of this for free in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way affected my rating.
This isn’t the type of book I would usually pick up, however there was something about the blurb that intrigued me and it felt like the perfect read for my recent holiday.
I’m really glad I took a chance on this! Jane Owen took a really fun topic of bitches in the suburbs, and adds a dark undertone as the story goes on. We see a wonderful mix of different characters, and follow how the relationship between the neighbours begins to change after Heavenley and Travis.
This isn’t the type of book I would usually pick up, however there was something about the blurb that intrigued me and it felt like the perfect read for my recent holiday.
I’m really glad I took a chance on this! Jane Owen took a really fun topic of bitches in the suburbs, and adds a dark undertone as the story goes on. We see a wonderful mix of different characters, and follow how the relationship between the neighbours begins to change after Heavenley and Travis.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews