Book Release Date: January 17, 2017

Book Blurb from Goodreads.com

On a cozy street in Philadelphia, three neighboring families have become the best of friends. They can’t imagine life without one another—until one family outgrows their tiny row house. In a bid to stay together, a crazy idea is born: What if they tear down the walls between their homes and live together under one roof? And so an experiment begins.

Celia and Mark now have the space they need. But is this really what Celia’s increasingly distant husband wants? Stephanie embraces the idea of one big, happy family, but has she considered how it may exacerbate the stark differences between her and her husband, Chris? While Hope always wanted a larger family with Leo, will caring for all the children really satisfy that need?

Behind closed doors, they strive to preserve the closeness they treasure. But when boundaries are blurred, they are forced to question their choices…and reimagine the true meaning of family.

My Review:

Three families enjoy living next to one another in row houses. They each have young children and and often chip in to help each other out.  One family announces that they are in need of more space and that they are going to put their house on the market. The two other families are heartbroken. One of the women comes up with an idea to knock the walls down between the houses. This will provide everyone with more space and help with logistic issues as it relates to their children.

At first, the families are not keen on the idea of “communal” living. They all mull the idea over and then circumstances change shifting the families mindsets into agreeing to this unconventional living situation. Once the walls are removed, chaos slowly ensues among the adults as secrets are kept and boundaries are crossed. They all begin to obtain different perspectives about one another and themselves.

I was intrigued by the concept of the book. I live on a small street and would be heartbroken if one of my neighbors moved away since we have great relationships. The book grabs your attention as it examines male/female relationships, raising children, and the bond of marriage in a non traditional setting. This is a joint novel from two authors, and I look forward to more works from this partnership.