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Woman Next Door
Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
79 posts | 58 read | 149 to read
A FINALIST FOR THE AIDOO-SNYDER BOOK PRIZEONE OF THE MILLIONS' AND REFINERY 29'S MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEARLoving they neighbor is easier said than done.Hortensia James and Marion Agostino are neighbors. One is black, the other white. Both are successful women with impressive careers. Both have recently been widowed, and are living with questions, disappointments, and secrets that have brought them shame. And each has something that the woman next door deeply desires.Sworn enemies, the two share a hedge and a deliberate hostility, which they maintain with a zeal that belies their age. But, one day, an unexpected event forces Hortensia and Marion together. As the physical barriers between them collapse, their bickering gradually softens into conversation and, gradually, the two discover common ground. But are these sparks of connection enough to ignite a friendship, or is it too late to expect these women to change?
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BarbaraBB
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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#BookReport 17/23

Still Born was fantastic. This week‘s favorite. Both others were just so-so reads for me.

TrishB You got one fantastic done👍🏻 11mo
Cinfhen So glad you loved Still Born 😅 11mo
rockpools ❤️ 11mo
See All 7 Comments
BookwormM I am reading still born as well 11mo
BarbaraBB @BookwormM Are you enjoying it? 11mo
BookwormM Just finished and I loved it 11mo
BarbaraBB @BookwormM I expected you to! So good 🩵 11mo
65 likes7 comments
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BarbaraBB
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Mehso-so

Hortensia and Marion are neighbours in a Cape Town suburb. They have in common their age, both in their 80s, that they have achieved success in their careers, and that they are widows. But they disagree about everything.
An accident in which Hortensia breaks her leg and Marion‘s house is badly damaged brings changes in their relationship. I was hoping for more and felt a but underwhelmed 🤷🏻‍♀️.

#Booked2023 #FeaturingNeighbors

BarbaraBB Cindy you sent me this for my birthday some years ago. Glad I finally picked it up! 😘😘 @Cinfhen 11mo
CarolynM Pretty cover anyway🙂 11mo
Cinfhen Im glad it worked for a prompt 😊 11mo
BkClubCare @CarolynM - I was going to say the same. 11mo
85 likes1 stack add5 comments
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HeatherBlue
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Well. Guess I won‘t be reading right now.
#catsoflitsy

Leftcoastzen The paws have spoken!😻 1y
dabbe @Leftcoastzen 😂 😂 😂 1y
UwannaPublishme 😹😹😹 1y
52 likes3 comments
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nanuska_153
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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I loved this page,I think I also "grunted my understanding" as Hortensia was telling the story,and I wonder how many other women did the same thing.To me there's not many things as powerful as telling someone"you can depend on me",it's even more powerful than "I love you",I can accept there might be waves or inconstancy in love,but if you tell someone they can depend on you,you'd better be there for them,for better or worse,otherwise it was a lie

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nanuska_153
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Mehso-so

Hortensia and Marion are next door neighbours in South Africa,both are successful woman, both widows; but one being black and another white they have constant disagreements rooted in racism.
The story has a good start but it fizzles out, the characters become less interesting as the story progresses. As a lawyer, I found the part about the Will unrealistic and kept distracting me. The writing is good and some descriptions remind me the great⬇️

nanuska_153 García Márquez, but overall it's a forgettable book. 1y
38 likes1 comment
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ju.ca.no
Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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My friday night plans: couch, tea, books!
Had my second Covid Shot yesterday and am feeling a bit mushy, so this is the perfect evening for me😍

50 likes1 stack add
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Jebpix
Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

Loved this book! Great on audio.

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leah152
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Starting something new 😊

4 likes1 stack add
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mhillis
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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“The habit of walking was something Hortensia took up after Peter fell ill.”
#FirstLineFridays

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ErikasMindfulShelf
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

Enjoyed this book.

ChasingOm This is on my TBR! 4y
Ruthiella I started this a couple years ago and then had to return it to the library. I need to get back to it! 4y
46 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Bookwormjillk
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

What a great way to start off the new year. I really enjoyed this book about two women who are complete opposites but find they need to rely on each other. #elfies #WinterGames

KT1432 Okay I need to read this one this year! 4y
Bookwormjillk @lele1432 it was really good. Thanks so much for sending it. 4y
KT1432 You‘re welcome!! 🤗 4y
42 likes1 stack add3 comments
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jveezer
Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

This, my book friends, was excellent.

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janeycanuck
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

I heard this blurbed as “Golden Girls but woke” and that is bang on. Great story, I loved how details were slowly trickled in to constantly change and evolve the story.

mrsmarch I loved this. 5y
30 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Corar
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

I really liked this book. It was nice reading about older women where the characters were complex and showed growth. I have found myself really drawn to books set in post apartheid South Africa lately. It also filled a requirement for the Read Harder Challenge - book with a female protagonist over 60. #readharder

11 likes2 stack adds
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ladyneverwhere
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

Absolutely loved this book. The women are incredibly flawed but the author makes you love them and their complicated relationship. Marion's path towards change is a little rushed but that's a small complaint for a lovely book.

#readharderchallenge @bookriot

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ErikasMindfulShelf
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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The stack of books I‘m bringing on vacation. Don‘t know how much reading I‘ll be doing but hoping for some relaxing moments on the beach. I love picking out books to bring. Decided not to bring any hardbacks so of course they looked extra good on my shelf. I have so many books I want to read. Really have to stop buying more 😀

Bookcation74 Vacation book stacks are my favorite! This one looks awesome! 6y
Avanders 😱😱😱 You have Diane Setterfield's new book. 🤲🏽🤲🏽🤲🏽 Enjoy your vacation!! 6y
Victoriahoperose I‘m about to leave for vacation as well and made the same decision. No hard backs. But I tried to choose chunksters so I don‘t have to pack as many! Enjoy your vacation!! 6y
See All 8 Comments
ErikasMindfulShelf @Avanders I just started it and I don‘t want to stop reading!! 6y
ErikasMindfulShelf Enjoy yours as well @Victoriahoperose (edited) 6y
Avanders @irre oh that's so good to hear! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 6y
acg DIANE SETTERFIELD HAS A NEW BOOK COMING OUT WHAT 😱😱😱 6y
ErikasMindfulShelf @seekingthespheres It‘s coming out in January. I just started it and so far it‘s great. Don‘t want to stop reading! 6y
86 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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Karen
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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12 likes1 stack add
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mrsmarch
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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1. All y‘all, oi you lot
2. 3
3. Litsy, Goodreads, Audible, Serial Reader
4. Watching Great British Bake.
5. Consider yourself tagged!

trueisa4letterword I was going to tag you in this but then I ended up not doing it 😐 6y
mrsmarch @trueisa4letterword Sad face. It‘s the Mondayest Saturday I‘ve ever had. 6y
27 likes2 comments
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vlwelser
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Mehso-so

This was just an ok for me. It was interesting.

#bookclub

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Bookpearl
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pearls pick for the month of April. This title didn‘t have me at hello from page one, but I am certainly intrigued as to how this story will unfold.

Reese_Pearly.Pages I really liked this one! 6y
Bookpearl @Reese_Pearly.Pages I‘m only a few pages in and I‘m intrigued! Of course I can‘t stand the HOA lady and already want to slap her with my open hand so I can‘t wait to see how she‘ll turn out. 😂 6y
5 likes2 comments
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BellaBookNook
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this book. I know the author received mixed review for her first book but I enjoyed this one. It was easy to fall into the story and the riff between the main characters was almost comical at times despite the overt racist beliefs. Overall a good book and very fast read. It also qualifies for reading the world challenge. #litworld2018GB #southafrica

WhatDeeReads Gonna go ahead and stack this. Thanks for the reminder! Been meaning to read this. 6y
BellaBookNook @WhatDeeReads Hey Lady! I enjoyed it and it was a rather quick read. 6y
21 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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SarahSaysRead
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

I loved this so much! Two ladies in their eighties, one white and one black, who've lived next door to each other in S. Africa for years. Their intense dislike has always been mutual, but they finally end up bonding over lives that did not turn out the way they expected. Hortensia is cantankerous and Marion is ridiculous 🤣👵🏿💛👵💕

#readharder #femalefriendships #oldladies #litfic #sogreat #privilege #widows #

34 likes5 stack adds
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SarahSaysRead
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Very much enjoying my current read. If you're looking for a book for the #ReadHarder "book about a female protagonist over the age of 60" task, this is great.

#femalefriendships #frenemies #RHchallenge #oldladies #SouthAfrica

26 likes3 stack adds
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lauralovesbooks1
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

I adored this delightful novel about 2 older women, neighbors for years, that have cultivated a deep and abiding distaste for each other. Circumstances force the two of them together and find that they have more in common than they thought. Omotoso has created two of the most realistic and fully fleshed out characters I have ever read. They are sharp, and sometimes caustic and as they reflect back on their lives, I fell in love with both.

UrsulaMonarch Sounds excellent & I'd never heard of it! Stacked, thanks! 6y
lauralovesbooks1 @Lkelly I think I first heard about it on booktube. It deserves a lot more attention than I think it got. Enjoy! 6y
Cinfhen Great review @stacked 6y
Reese_Pearly.Pages This was my last book of 2017 and I LOVE IT. 6y
Anna40 Sounds great! 6y
31 likes5 stack adds5 comments
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lauralovesbooks1
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Hortensia came to the realization that the quality of her life would have benefited greatly from more anger and less resentment. Anger was like a dragon burning other things. Resentment burned a hole in your stomach, burned your insides.

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Bkwurm
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

The 2 MCs aren't immediately likable, but were excellent human stand-ins for the 2 sides of history presented in the story. Hortensia and Miriam are both angry, defensive, full of hate and purposeful ignorance. But as I began to see the world from their POVs I liked how they were both changing, even after losses & mistakes. They could still change & learn & help each other. I liked this as a story & a metaphor. #Booked2018 #ReadHarderChallenge2018

Cinfhen I‘m curious about this book...thanks for the awesome review❣️congrats on fulfilling a prompt 6y
Bkwurm @Cinfhen thanks. It feels good to get a couple challenge tasks ✅ early in the year. The 📖is maybe not quite complete as just a story, but as story + metaphor it's the whole package. 6y
15 likes1 stack add2 comments
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lauralovesbooks1
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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"It was known that the two women shared hedge and hatred and they pruned both with a vim that belied their ages."

MayJasper No love lost there then 😁 6y
20 likes1 comment
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rachelwill
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

Book 29: Last one sweeping up the 2017 shelves. Kind of annoyed not to squeeze in a round 30...!

Forget twee old ladies, knitting and happily reminiscing. These two octigenarians are both as cantankerous as each other in a refreshing and honest portrayal of ageing and the furies that come along with it! Add family secrets, race and the cultural history buried in the land and you find an insightful and surprisingly touching read.

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susanw
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

A pretty good character study of two grouchy, older women neighbours, one black one white, in post apartheid South Africa. It looks behind the curtain as to why they are who they are. Reinforcing the fact you never really know a person just by what they show you, and how they act. It is long listed for the #ToB so I was I had pretty high expectations, and it was good, but I won‘t be upset if it‘s not on the short list.

AceOnRoam I can't find this in the library so I'm hoping it doesn't make the shortlist! 6y
AceOnRoam I like tour review though, I would probably enjoy this one. 6y
AceOnRoam *your 6y
67 likes3 comments
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susanw
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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A little morning reading in bed. And that is how you do Sunday!! #ToBLonglist

BookMaven407 That looks so nice. Hope you have a great day. 6y
78 likes1 stack add1 comment
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TNbooklover66
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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susanw I‘m reading this one right now too! Love the ToB for discovering books I would never find on my own. 6y
BarbaraBB @susanw Looking forward to both your reviews. I love the ToB list as well to choose from. 6y
17 likes2 comments
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alisonrose
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
Pickpick

I assume some people gave this book a low rating because they thought the main characters were unlikeable... but that's the reason I liked it. I wanna be a bitchy old lady when I'm near the end of my life because by then, you've earned it 😜 But also, I appreciate a story about old women. We rarely get three dimensional portraits of them in media. And I enjoyed the exploration of what it means to love someone even when you wish you didn't. 4/5 ⭐️

TrishB Great review 👍 7y
16 likes2 comments
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alisonrose
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso

She tied a block of concrete to her ankle and let it drag her down. Hating, after all, was a drier form of drowning.

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alisonrose
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso

The medication took turns making Hortensia feel like a superhero and making her want to punch everyone. In other words, it had little effect on her.

🤣🤣🤣

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alisonrose
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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The.Bookish.Duchess
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book. Such a great exploration of life through the eyes of two old women who are arch rivals!

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RealLifeReading
Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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#junebookbugs day 27: #setinSouthernHemisphere
Love this book set in South Africa about two elderly women (one black and one white) who are neighbours and who develop a reluctant friendship.

RealBooks4ever Looking forward to reading this one! 😻 7y
ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled Loved your latest blog post, btw! I can't comment on it when Im sneak-browsing at work because it's blocked 😂 7y
RealLifeReading @RealBooks4ever it's kinda like Grumpy Old Men. So I guess it's Grumpy Old Women but in South Africa 7y
RealLifeReading @ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled aww thanks for reading anyway! 😘 7y
106 likes6 stack adds4 comments
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Well-ReadNeck
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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#junebookbugs #setinthesouthernhemisphere

Set in Capetown, South Africa. I enjoyed this story of disparate neighbors coming together over time. Lovely thought-provoking read

NerdyRev I just finished it too. Agreed. It was a fine read. 7y
102 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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shawnmooney
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Bailedbailed

I'm interested in South African literature, so I was hoping the mediocre reviews were wrong. They were not: I bailed on this less than 10% of the way in because of the underwhelming prose.

Cinfhen Good to know! 7y
Vikz Must admit I bailed on this too 7y
33 likes2 comments
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BookishTrish
Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
Pickpick

This book was a good mix of cozy and thought-provoking. Recommended. #setinAfrica #LRC5

52 likes3 stack adds
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rmaclean4
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Strand book store...my happy place!!

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BookishTrish
Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Really enjoying this one so far #setinAfrica #LRC5

lisakoby I liked this too. 7y
65 likes2 comments
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BookishTrish
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Every month each member of the family chooses one book they'd like to finish that month. Every month May is included. Her book is always in cat language and it always cracks me up.

rubyslippersreads 😹😹😹 7y
LauraBeth 😹😹 7y
Bette Sweet! 👍❤😊 7y
LeahBergen Ha!!! 7y
55 likes4 comments
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RealLifeReading
Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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My lunch time read (and belated posting of photo) is such a good one. It's set in South Africa and is the story of two neighbours, both women, one black and one white. They pretty much can't stand each other.

Lacythebookworm Your lunch looks delicious! 😋 7y
TheBookAddict Yummy! 😋 7y
Bibliogirl Yum! I have lunch envy. 7y
See All 6 Comments
Kimzey I'll add to the chorus of "yums!" ? 7y
mkritchey Now I want pho and potstickers! 😭 7y
SonjaYoerg Your lunch! 😋 7y
179 likes11 stack adds6 comments
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SavidgeReads
Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Mehso-so

I liked it enough but didn't want to rush back to it when I put it down which is a shame as I thought I'd love it. Two neighbouring women, one white, one black, hate and spy on each other over the dividing walls of their gardens, that is until circumstances lead them to needing each much to both their displeasure. A tale of race, apartheid, the expectations of women and old age; sadly delivered slightly too saccharine and simply for me.

ramyasbookshelf Good review! I've been hearing mixed things about this book. Can't decide if I still want to give it a shot. I think I'll pass for now.. (edited) 7y
Tamra Too bad, sounds like it should have been. 7y
LeahBergen That's really too bad. The premise sounds so good. 7y
47 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Lauren.Archer
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
Mehso-so

I kinda read this one fast, it was ok. I wanted to get this in before book club.

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Lauren.Archer
The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso
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Grabbed this from the library. Looking forward to this one.

TheBookStacker I have been eyeing this book, anxious to hear your thoughts 7y
tpixie Sounds good!! 7y
Suetara I really enjoyed it. 7y
97 likes2 stack adds3 comments