Freya Sampson

This was one of those books that I couldn’t stop reading….it grew later and later as I told myself “Just one more chapter.”

This is a story about forgiveness, grief, family, and unlikely friendships. The two main characters couldn’t be more different, yet they both have secrets with painful histories, and are determined to keep to themselves and not befriend anyone. Of course things don’t turn out the way they planned, with the two of them even teaming up together to prevent the demolition of the apartment complex where they both live. My favorite character was little Reggie, the Jack Russell terrier, who provides humor when things look hopeless.

This is actually a heartwarming novel with a bit of romance, which demonstrates the power of community.

I’ve read and liked Freya Sampson’s other two books, but I think this one is the best and I highly recommend it.… (plus d'informations)

Oh Dorothy - you and your notebook.

Do you really think one of your neighbors attacked Charles and do you think your tabulation of things wrong with Shelley House and neighbor violations will keep them from tearing down the historic building?

You will LOVE both Dorothy and Kat and will laugh at what Dorothy records in her notebook and her thoughts about who the attacker was. She truly felt she was doing a good deed.

Dorothy has lived in Shelley House all of her life, and Kat is the newcomer who rented a room from Charles.

Kat is also a neighbor Dorothy wasn’t fond of UNTIL they worked on saving Shelley House together, and it still was a bit on the rough side.

Will they be able to save Shelley House?

Find out in this delightful, sweet, heartwarming, as well as heartbreaking read with lovable, eccentric characters that will make you laugh and make you cry.

If you are a fan of Freya’s books, you won’t want to miss NOSY NEIGHBORS. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.… (plus d'informations)

Nosy Neighbours is Freya Sampson's third book and it's the third one I have read and loved. It centres around Shelley House, a decaying house split into several flats in Chalcot (readers of Sampson's first book, The Last Library, might recognise this location). Kat is drawn back to the village after years away and is considering renting a room in Joseph Chambers' flat. Dorothy Darling lives in the other ground floor flat and their first meeting is not a particularly easy one. Nevertheless, Kat takes the room on a short term basis.

The residents of Shelley House are drawn together when the property is threatened with demolition and it's then that Sampson's ability to write so beautifully about community spirit comes into play. It's such a lovely story of getting to know your neighbours and being united against a shared foe. Kat and Dorothy are the main characters but there are a number of other important folk. I had a particular soft spot for Joseph and his dog, Reggie, and I also grew to love Dorothy. She starts off as a cantankerous and rude old woman but as Kat (and the reader) gets to know her she realises there's much more to Dorothy than a nitpicking busybody.

I thought this was a thoroughly heart-warming and engrossing read. It's a feel-good story with characters that cover all of human life, both good and bad. It's character-driven in the main but the fight against the demolition of Shelley House creates a plot that draws all the main players together. I love Freya Sampson's writing and am looking forward to what she comes up with next. Oh, and as well as the nod to Chalcot, I also loved the little nod to the 88 bus from her second book. Fabulous!… (plus d'informations)

I was so excited when I saw that Freya Sampson had a new book out - Nosy Neighbors! (Don't you love that cover!)

I love my mystery and thriller reads, but the books that stick with me a bit longer are those that tug at my heart strings. And Freya Sampson's books are at the top of the list.

What will you find inside? A crochety, seventy seven year old woman named Dorothy Darling. She's lived in apartment two in Shelley House for over thirty years. She keeps herself busy by watching out her front window and inside the building, noting things down in her logbook - the repairs needed, when someone comes or goes from the building and much more. The latest tenant is tattooed, pink haired Kat. And the two of them clash immediately.

But, the lives of all the tenants of Shelley House are all going to change when... Yes, I'm stopping there, leaving you to find out what happens next.

Sampson keeps us guessing (and turning pages) as to what the secrets are that Kat and Dorothy have each been hiding for many years.

The characters are all wonderfully drawn and it was easy to create detailed mental images of them all. All good tales have a dog, and in this case it's Reggie - who steals the show more than once.

Uh huh, all the right elements are in place for a 'tug at your heartstrings' read. Love lost, love found, loneliness, friendship, purpose, meaning and connections. What we all need - people, not things.

Nosy Neighbors is another great read from Freya Samson and I will be eagerly awaiting her next book.… (plus d'informations)