Review - - The Man Next Door

The Man Next Door

by Sheila Roberts

Publisher: MIRA

Release Date: October 14, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

  

Zona never thought her life was headed this way, but here she is, newly divorced and moving back in with her mom, Louise. After her gambling addicted ex-husband lost all of their savings, including their daughter's college fund, she doesn't really have a choice. She's cutting every coupon she can and she's going to help put her daughter through nursing school, even if it kills her.

This wasn't Louise's plan, either, laid up at home with a broken leg after one unfortunate tumble on the senior singles cruise she'd been looking forward to for months. But if she's going to spend all her time at home, at least she's got her daughter there with her. And there's some hot new eye candy next door to distract them both from their troubles. He appears to be single and just around Zona's age. Could his arrival be the universe making amends for everything it's put her through?

Maybe the universe isn't feeling as generous as Louise hoped. There’s something lurking under that mans surface charm, something…dangerous? And who's the woman they can hear him in all-out shouting matches with on the other side of the fence? When the woman seems to disappear without a trace, imaginations run wild. Or at least, Zona hopes it's just her mother's imagination...

PJ's Thoughts:

In the mood for humor, three-generations of women, witty dialog, flawed (but relatable) characters, a splash of romance, and a bit of suspense? Have I got a book for you. Sheila Roberts' The Man Next Door is filled with all that and more.

One of the things I most enjoy about Roberts' writing is her ability to craft characters who elicit a range of emotions from snort-laughter to heartfelt tears. They are fully dimensional, relatable, and could easily be your own woman - or man - next door. I found myself fully invested in each of the main characters as well as a few of the side ones. When I find myself yelling at a character for what she does or is about to do, cheering another for regaining her confidence, telling yet another to just "grow up," or wanting to pull yet another into a great big hug, the author is to be commended for an outstanding job of pulling me not only into the story but into those characters' lives. Their authenticity, as well as the situations they get themselves into, give this book an immersive quality that keeps me eagerly turning pages to discover what is planned for them around the next corner. And, in this book, there are more than a few unexpected corners! 

If you enjoy stories bubbling over with humor, heart, and multi-generation family, pick up a copy of this book. If too many true crime shows or podcasts have you giving your neighbors a second look and wondering, "what if," get this book. If you enjoy watching women gather their strength and start over after betrayal or loss, with plenty of laughter, tears, and honest conversation, read this book. And finally, if you enjoy characters finding love the last place they expect it, grab a copy of The Man Next Door. It's a gem.