A fun, suspenseful novel where three familial females all fall
under the intrigue of an enigmatic new neighbor, a "hottie.”
Author Sheila Roberts (The Best
Life Book Club) brings together three California-based women in the
same family, each in different stages of life in The Man Next Door.
Zona Hartman loses everything
when her husband-turned-ex, “an overflowing septic tank of a human being” gambled
away all of their savings—including the funds earmarked for their daughter, Bree,
whose dreams of attending nursing school are now deferred.
Zona--a financially destitute,
now twice-divorced 44-year-old--is forced to move in with her mother, Louise, a
once-happily-married, now widowed, 68-year-old. Spry Louise has aspirations to finally
write a mystery novel and is determined to find unlucky-in-love-Zona a good man.
When Louise falls and
breaks her leg during a Hawaiian cruise, she returns home to convalesce and finally has the time to pursue both of her dreams in the form
of a handsome newcomer to the neighborhood--a real “hottie”--about the same age
as Zona. However, while Louise, ever the imaginative writer, tries to script
the story of who the enigmatic man is--keeping tabs on his comings and goings--things take
intriguing turns when, on the other side of the fence, shouting matches resound on a regular basis. Maybe the “hottie” is not such a good catch for Zona after all? But
boy, what a story Louise might have to tell!
“Fun” should be Sheila Roberts’ middle name as she charms
readers with spunky characters, snappy dialogue, and a spirited, cleverly plotted storyline
that successfully blends elements of rom-com, cozy mystery, and suspense.
The
Man Next Door by Sheila Roberts
MIRA
Books (HarperCollins, Harlequin), 18.99 paperback, 9780778360285, 368 pages
Publishing Date: October 14, 2025
To order this book on Bookshop.org,
link HERE
Learn more about Sheila Roberts HERE
