This is only the second of Juliet’s (or any of her aliases) book’s that I have read and I LOVED IT! I only became aware of Juliet at last year’s Team Books and the City’s Spring Blogger event where we were given a copy of Juliet’s latest book These Days of Ours which I loved! At this year’s Spring Blogger event, we were given a Chapter Sample of the new book and then a few weeks ago, an actual proper, real copy (made of paper) arrived in the post – along with some fortune cookies (which my 8 yr old ate!) The Fortune Cookies were relevant as each chapter starts with a page from a Chinese Takeaway calendar, along with prophetic words of wisdom (much like Juliet’s last book had various event invitations to head up the chapters).

The story starts with Sarah, who is attending a wedding. The wedding of her ex husband Leo, who she has only just divorced. He is marrying his mistress (ouch)…..oh, and he lives in the flat downstairs!!! Sarah then bumps in to the miserable old lady who lives downstairs – Mavis – and discovers she has two new neighbours – Jane & Tom Boyce – moving in to her friend Smith’s old flat. We discover that Sarah is struggling in her work as a Child Therapist with CAMHS and is struggling to get over her relationship with Leo and how it ended.

Throughout the story, Sarah tries to revisit her past – making me scream at her (in my head) “NO NO NO He’s a twat!” and tries to make peace with herself. By redecorating her flat and depersonalising it, ready to sell and move on, she makes her house a home and manages to reconcile her thoughts in her own head, and reconcile her heart with her head so she can move forwards.

We also see Sarah warm to, and thaw out, the frosty Mavis from the basement flat – but is Mavis all she seems to be? Who knows! Sarah also starts to fall for Tom, her friend Jane’s hunky husband, and we see how Sarah is a woman of integrity when she puts her friendship above her feelings – will she later regret this? Along the way, Tom and Sarah bond over a hedgehog and also help young resident, Una, to find her voice again following the messy breakup of her own broken parents.

A fantastically lovely story about friendship, love, finding peace and moving on all set in a miniature community within the walls of number 24, in the heart of Nottinghill.

I loved this book, and I can not wait for Juliet’s next book. A perfect read come Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter, but if you are looking for a summer holiday read, I recommend this one!

Thank you once again for approving my request- much appreciated.

Full review coming soon to my blog and ofcourse will be added to other social media platforms

Sarah is living in the building number 24 in West London with another five separate families. She is doing her best to recover from her husband’s betrayal, their divorce, and her loneliness. The pain is bigger knowing the fact that he is with another woman under the same roof, her neighbor Helena. Sarah’s heart aches when she accidentally meets Leo or Helena on the stairs, how she avoids them when she lives on the top floor, and they live below.

New neighbors move in the building, one lovely couple Tom, and Jane. They are very much in love, but really do they? The strange feelings are sparkle between Tom and Sarah. But, could she do the same thing what Helena did to her?

With the first pages, I sense Sarah’s pain and anxiety. I feel almost what she felt looking Leo happiness with another woman, so close to her. I feel it because of the author’s ability to make the reader to feel the words. I wanted to see more, to read more about Sarah, how she will survive the act of betrayal and is she capable of doing the same that she encountered to another woman.

Sarah seems like a real woman to me, she struggles with her feelings and all she wanted is to move and forget Leo, but he is there with another woman, and it is not possible to avoid him. She spends time with him and then becomes insecure and vulnerable which makes me nervous reading that.

Leo is the worst kind of a man that possibly exists in and out of the literary world. I don’t like him at all especially when he is near Sarah.

The story is captivating, touching and thoughtful which could make you think and wonder what it would be if…

I recommend this book to everyone who loves woman’s fiction and literary fiction.

Everyone who likes One Fifth Avenue by Candace Bushnell will like this book too.

I quite enjoyed this book as I liked reading about the different characters who all inhabited this slightly shabby house.

The main character Sarah, has not had it easy. A philandering husband who lives a couple of flats below her with his new wife - not sure I could cope with this! Leo, the said philandering ex husband is not a pleasant character but I think this just shows how well he was written!

All in all a lovely read with characters that are so real, you almost felt as though you knew them....

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for my copies of this book. I received both a paper and digital copy of this book. I switched between the two as my kindle is easier when I'm on the move.

I first heard about this book at the Spring Blogger Evening 2017 and SJ mentioned a quote that when you read it will mean everything. At the time I thought what could "Daddy, a lizard" mean? But SJ was right.

When I read the premise of this book I thought, god I couldn't do what Sarah was doing. I lived with my ex for 2 months after we broke up and it was extremely difficult.

This book really is something special. There are 8 people living in number 24. The story mainly focuses on Sarah but there is a lot of interaction with the other members of the house.

My favourite character is little Una. She is one tough little girl that has been through an awful lot for someone so young.

This story has lots of twists and turns that I never saw coming. The ending however will leave you feeling uplifted.

This was my first book by Juliet. I really enjoyed her style and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Beautifully written, strong characters and flowing dialogue. What more can you ask for?

I liked the story, with its interweaving of the characters' lives and how they all became a little community, although it would be lovely I'm not sure this happens very often in real life! It was well written, and encompassed love, loss, relationships and family dynamics, although I did find myself skipping the parts about Zelda. The only sticking point for me, and I don't want to give spoilers, was the Jane/Tom story twist which seemed somewhat unbelievable.

Review of a digital copy from the publisher.

'The Woman at Number 24' By Juliet Ashton.

More twists and turns then spaghetti junction, this book tugged at my heart strings and I was rewarded with a beautiful, poignant story of friendship, love, romance and community.

It was different and refreshing like a dip in a tranquil waterfall. The story of 'The Woman at Number 24' was gripping, I couldn't put it down, neither did i want to - I read greedily until I finished the last page, shed a few tears and my heart was full of happiness and hope.

The story is about Sarah and her neighbours. Leo and Helena, Tom and Jane, Lisa and her daughter Una and the slightly 'difficult' Mavis. Based in Notting hill London, Sarah is troubled. She has her own heartache and distractions, as do all the members of the house.

Sarah's marriage has fallen apart, and the last thing you would want is to be suffocated by the memories and vision of your unfaithful husband, but Sarah doesn't have a choice as Leo her ex, lives directly below her with his new wife.

Sarah is a child psychologist and has noticed something unsettling with Una, Sarah's not sure if she can help this little girl, not when she has troubles of her own.

Then Tom and Jane move in and Sarah cant deny the instant attraction to handsome Tom. However, having seen first hand what infidelity does to people, she'll never act on it. Sarah becomes close friends to Jane and over time she realises that things have to change for the household of 24. But where will it start unraveling, and what truths will be told and learnt.

Stunning, a breath of fresh air, witty and beautiful - 'The Woman at Number 24' is fantastic and warmed me from the top of my head to my toes - I highly recommend this.

5 out of 5.

*Book provided by the publisher on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book is all about the people living in a rather special house, number 24. we get introduced to all of these characters quickly and they are a great and diversified group.

First up we have Sarah, who’s husband cheated on her, they are divorced and he just got married to his affair. She is also mourning the loss of her friend Smith. Sarah is the main character in this story.

Then we have Leo, Sarah's ex husband, who is now married to Helena. They live in the flat together. Leo, I didn't like from the start, he had this unfaithful and arrogant vibe around him.

Boyces, Jane and Tom have just moved in and Sarah is very much attracted to Tom, but also thinks she still has feelings for Leo.

We also have Lisa and her daughter Una, who is going through some things, Sarah is there to help.

Last but nit least we have Mavis, an older woman who lives in the basement flat. She complains a lot and is always in a bad mood, but a friendship is built between her and Sarah throughout the book, this was lively to read about.

Sarah is forced to still see Leo from time to time and also spend time with him. I didn't like her around him, she became insecure and made weird decisions. She has a lot to do with renovating her flat, moving out soon and other things. Apart from spending time with Leo and old feelings coming up, she makes new friends and also flirts with other men. I struggled a bit with that part of the story, which seemed a bit unrealistic to me. Other than that I really adored the story, it's all about community and friendship in several ways. Juliet Ashton captured that beautifully in her writing.

the Woman at Number 24 is an absorbing story full of wonderful moments and cute scenes. This was my first Juliet Ashton book to read and I really fell in love with her accurate, vivid, cute and flowing writing.

Oh my goodness I was not expecting this book to be as outstanding as it turned out to be. I set myself up for a little lighthearted chick lit read when this book is so much more than that.

I found myself thinking about this book when not reading it - wondering what was going to happen next, what the characters would be getting up to. I'm so sad to finish reading it as really I became enveloped in the world of Number 24.

When the book began I wasn't sure what I was reading could be right. Sarah had just been to the reception of her ex husband in the flat downstairs....... Then there are Sarah's friends:-
absent friend Smith - what part did she play in Number 24?
unlikely new friend Mavis, tucked away in the basement flat with her foul mouthed Cockatoo Peck - named after his favourite pastime.
and the wonderful Jane - so much life and soul to her character and someone I would love to have as a friend.

So many levels to this book from the dastardly Leo (I could have throttled him several times over!) and the doe eyed Sarah still in love with him. The career Sarah has which she feels unable to fulfil any longer and the children she has treated. Sarah's attempts at finding a new love interest and her involvement with all the other residents at Number 24. Not to mention her decorating sessions with her ex husband while his new wife is out. Not forgetting Smith and the part she played in Sarah's life.

So many twists and turns, one which made me gasp out loud and then be determined to finish the book in one go, as I had to know what was going to happen.

So many great memories of this book - I really feel like I was a fly on the wall at Number 24.

I'm giving this book 5 out of 5 stars. My thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy for review.

Having read Juliet Ashton’s previous novel I was looking forward to her next book as I adored ‘These Days of Ours’, especially when I received and read the sampler.

It sounded quite a light read but it was much more emotional and mysterious than I expected. This only added an extra layer of depth, to what was already a pretty fantastic book. It is so easy to read and find yourself consumed by this book, so much so I stayed up till the early hours of the morning, unable to put it down. While most of the book takes place in the house and it’s gaden, because it’s converted to flats you get a nice variety of characters and story all intertwined.

The main character is Sarah and it’s from her viewpoint we read the book. At times I really liked Sarah, she was naturally kind and willing to give people a chance, like Mavis from the basement flat. However this also extended to her ex husband, Leo. She wasn’t over him, and therefore was quite naive I think, especially in the hope that helping her paint the flat proved he still loved her. She accepted that his careless, hapless nature was the way he was, and made excuses for him. At the worst times he came off really creepy, and at best he was inconsiderate as to how Sarah may feel. I was begging Sarah to have more strength in her, and at times she did, seeing Leo squirm when she told him how ridiculous the situation was, was great, but then she went back to defending him to everyone else. It was easy to dislike Leo initially, but by the end I think Sarah somehow hypnotised me. I didn’t like him as such but thought that maybe he had changed, and could see growth in a character, that for the first part of the book, I saw no hope for.

Despite her grumpy exterior, I loved Mavis. Yes she was cantankerous, but at times her light shone through and you could see she wanted to change and make amends, and become and better neighbour and more importantly, a friend to everyone.

Jane was certainly a larger then life character, she was instantly someone trustworthy and you wanted to become best friends with.

This book delivered so much more than I expected. Emotion, laughs and mystery, I simply adored every minute of reading it.

I absolutely loved this book. It was about the residents who live in a house in Notting Hill. Sarah lives in the top flat and recently became to her ex husband who remarried and lives in a lower flat. You can imagine the emotions that evokes.
We get to see how all the characters interact and how their stories develop. Sarah is a child psychologist and one little girl in the house is selective mute. We wonder what is behind her story and whether Sarah will be drawn in. Mavis lives in the basement flat and is a great character. She is so grumpy most of the time- but after reaching out to her we see a blossoming friendship.
Twists keep the interest high and wondering what will happen next and what secrets might be lurking behind each door.
I can't wait to read more by Juliet Ashton- I love her writing style and the the characters she creates.

This is the story of Sarah, she isn't having a great time of it with her ex hubby living upstairs with his new wife and hassling her about selling the flat. She has lost her best friend and her work is not giving her the buzz it did. But the residents of the other flats start to get to know each other once Jane moves in and a series of events drag Sarah in.
What follows is a funny but heart warming, caring but comical account of all at number 24. The characters are brilliant and some of the goings on you can not see coming. A light but deep felt read that will be enjoyed by many. I love all the characters and can relate to many of the under laying stories. Juliet is a lovely lady and you can find her in the books she writes, although she might not agree to this. I don't want to give much away about the story but its a blinder and one you should read.

Oh my goodness, everything that could possibly happen inside Number 24 literally does happen. This is a book packed full of twist, turns and dramatic revelations and that made for some fast-paced, Page-turning reading for the entirety of the second half! Number 24 is a house split into flats in Notting Hill and each of the residents, or former residents in these flats each have their own dramatic story lines going on but Sarah, who lives in the flat at the top of the building and is the titular woman, is the lynch pin that holds it altogether. So whilst there are so many dramatic story lines taking place, this is a very character driven book, I loved that about it.

The novel begins fairly pacey because we are working out who all the residents are and how they relate to one another. each chapter begins with a quote from the calendar from the Chinese takeaway that Sarah uses and is a piece of wisdom that someone in that chapter could definitely use. I loved the little clues that Juliet Ashton left in the form of the wise sayings and other little clues about people throughout the chapters, and just like her last book, i enjoyed working out what everyone's story was and the skeletons in their closet.

It is fairly hard to pass judgement on many of the characters in this novel because there are so many twists and turns and everyone is not who they seem to be. I loved the relationship that the characters had and developed with one another though. Many people in London do not know their neighbours and this book certainly starts of being that typical set up, with only a couple of exceptions. There are many changes over the course of the book, but I liked seeing how the characters and those changes affected relationships within the doors of Number 24.

Sarah is a great character to hold the whole story, and the house, together because she is very relatable. She is recently divorced but having to see her husband on a regular basis. Because of the housing situation, in cities in particular, many people are faced with this situation The crisis of her sudden divorce has also made her question her professional capabilities and so we have to go through that with her as well, making her even more easy to sympathise with as a character. She is just a normal woman who is determined to make the best of herself but questions her choices at every turn. I loved the friendships that she forged during this novel and I loved watching her grow and change as a person over the period of time that this story is set.

The beginning and end of this book (I'd say the first 30% and the final 40%) are very pacey and I read those sections all at once. I couldn't believe some of the twists that this story took on and found myself shouting at the characters to realise what was going on right in front of their eyes. The very middle of the book dragged a little for me, it was focused on one storyline in particular and I just didn't click with that one. Overall though this was a great read and in keeping with what I have now come to expect from this author. This would be a great book to read over the bank holiday weekends that are coming up and if you haven't read any of Juliet's other novels, definitely add those to your TBR too!

Thank you to the publishers, Books and the City at Simon & Schuster for the exciting exclusive extract and then to them and Netgalley for the ARC.

You see so many big properties, once so grand, divided up into individual flats. I always think it's a shame; ripping the heart and character out of a home. But then it becomes home to more people, allowing room for more characters and their relationships to develop.

Number 24 is home to several inhabitants, including Sarah, and somewhat awkwardly, her ex husband and his new wife. The intricacies of such a relationship are explored, with Sarah desperate to win Leo back, and Leo himself doing nothing to dissuade her...

Then there's Mavis, a cantankerous old woman who lives in self-imposed poverty in the basement. When her sister dies, Sarah feels sorry for Mavis and decides no one can be that bad - apart from perhaps, Peck, the extremely foul-mouthed parrot.

Sarah is mourning the loss of her friend Smith, who Leo had ironically been so jealous of when he and Sarah were still married - until he left her for the glamorous Helena who had moved in.

Suffering so much loss in her life, and having to prepare to move out of the flat she adores, Sarah's life is crumbling. She is a child psychologist, but has even lost her connection to children and is so full of self-doubt. She is intrigued by new neighbours, Jane and Tom, becoming friends with Jane but disturbingly attracted to Tom...

It's a lovely story of community, which sadly seems to be lacking in much of today's society, friendships, loyalty, love and self-worth. Some have too much, whilst others are severely lacking.

Juliet writes wonderfully comforting stories which wrap themselves around you like a hug. Even the sad or uncomfortable parts where people are suffering are a delight to read, because you know the story will pan out in the end, even if it's not necessarily in the way you expect - and this is Juliet's talent. Beautiful stories which draw you right in, with great characterisation.

Now when can I move in?

Warm,funny and sad, this was a lovely read. I really enjoyed it and didn't want it to end.

4.5 Stars


In Notting Hill, there is a rather special property, its not obvious from the outside, put for the people at number 24 it is home. And over the course of The Woman at Number 24, you will get to know all the residents in this house, see how they all interact, and perhaps even become more than just causal acquaintances.

Meets the characters of number 24.

At the top of the building is Sarah, she is trying to recover from discovering her husband having an affair, their divorce, and then a couple of weeks after the ink is dry on the decree, the wedding of him to the mistress.

Oh and this ex-es name is Leo and he lives downstairs in the next flat down, with his new wife, however there are times where you have to wonder about his and Sarah's interactions, given Leo doesn't come across as a particularly faithful man!

Then there are the Boyces, Jane and Tom who have moved into their new flat, after Lewis (Sarah's former best friend) had moved out. Sarah is attracted to Tom but knows she can't act on it, and makes a firm new friend in Jane.

Then there is Lisa and daughter Una. Una is currently going through a period of selective mutism, but whether Sarah, a child psychologist, but suffering with confidence crisis at work, will offer to help out Una, is an initial question.

Finally the last main resident, and important character is Mavis, who lives in the basement flat. She is an older woman, who seems to be in a permanently bad mood, and seems to complain about everything. However she is also one of the most interesting characters, and as the story progressed I loved seeing her fledgling friendship with Sarah emerge.

Oh and there are two rather cool pets in this property, Peck a foul mouthed Parrot who is quite amusing and Mikey who if you are anything like me will fall for on the first meeting.

The focus of the book is on Sarah, and its her life we are following, as she renovates her flat and prepares to move out in a few months time, as living about her ex isn't the best plan. Nothing it seems in her life is that simple, and there are so many moments I loved, not least her reaction to a piece of information that the hints were there for, relating to Tom and Jane.

I was loving the book as I was reading it, and finding myself frustrated that while reading in my lunch breaks that I couldn't just sit back and continue, instead of working for the rest of the day. My thoughts for two afternoons were definitely with Sarah and her friends, especially after some twists I wasn't expecting, which added a whole new dimension to the book.

The Woman at Number 24 is a thoroughly enjoyable story of friendships and of building a community within a building.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

This book is like wrapping yourself up in a blanket on the sofa and watching your favourite film. I adore Juliet Ashton's books and this one didn't let me down. Warm, heart-felt and witty, I was sad to leave Sarah in the end.
More please!!

I enjoyed the book, but I found the twists a little too confusing to follow. The part where Tom and Jane's true relationship is revealed had me rereading previous chapters as I was sure it was mentioned somewhere that they were married! Maybe it was just my brain that couldn't cope.
I felt parts of the story were hurried for example "A wedding had taken place" it felt squashed in.
I did love a few of the one liners though like cut price Casanova and I'm a sexual sheepdog, I drove him into her bed.
An interesting read all in all about the complexity of a house divided and how different love can be.
I do like the authors style of writing, but the twists didn't flow with me.

When writing my reviews, I usually write my overall thoughts of the book towards the end, using the top half of the review as a suspenseful build up to my oh-so-important views ;). This time however, I cannot review it that way. I've tried, but I just cannot write the build up to my views. I need to air them straight away, a bit like ripping off a plaster. I apologise in advance, I really do....but I have to be honest...

OMG I BLOOMIN' LOVED THIS BOOK!!! HELLO NEW FAVOURITE BOOK!!!!!

Oh em gee!!!! I adore Juliet Ashton and her alter egos, she is an incredibly talented author and I have never read a book of hers that I didn't like. I just knew that her newest book, The Woman at Number 24, would be included in my loved list alongside the others.

The first main character we meet at the start of the book is Sarah, a child psychologist whose own life has taken a tumble, leaving her feel unsure of her own self-worth. Not only that, a certain ex-husband of hers is living in the flat below hers, swanning about in his own egotistical bubble. My views on the ex? He's a doorbell-end. There are a lot of colourful main characters in the housing block and the arrival of Jane and Tom, make the characters of the T.V. show, 'Rainbow', seem completely bland. Seriously. Jane is a HOOT! She is so real and has such an unhinged mouth which makes for excellent (and hilarious) reading. Honestly, she became one of my favourite characters rather quickly.

Hiding away from everyone else was yet another character, Mavis. She reminded me of a 'wild card' as she seemed to be the odd one out, giving off such marmite vibes. If you're anything like me, you'll be changing your opinion on Mavis the whole way through. Do you like her? Do you hate her?

I have never come across a selection of mismatched characters such as these, before. The only way I can describe the overall house is by thinking of 'Big Brother', the T.V. show; although on an extremely loose basis (I said they were mismatched not completely barmy)! Each character (or miniature household) came with their own storyline and keeping up with several separate lifestyles wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. I guess I expected to feel a little confused by the comings and goings, but I didn't. In actual fact, I loved the complex storyline with the high energy situations, as well as the underlying hidden messages.

What really hit home for me with 'The Woman at Number 24', were the powerful and intense friendships and the lengths that the characters went to protect them. I guess it made me feel quite emotional as I have never had that kind of friendship before, yet each individual character ALWAYS thought of the ones that they held dear. If they didn't seem them for a day or two, they would get worried and actively seek them out. If I went anywhere, would I be missed? Before I started reading this novel, my positivity about trust, friendships, and even feeling loved, was quite low. However, after I finished this novel, I found myself closing the book with a satisfied grin on my face and the feeling of hope surrounding me in a little bubble.

I am amazed that, despite the busy storyline and the multiple poignant situations, the storyline never lost its personality, nor was it stuck in limbo with any 'blank' moments.

'The Woman at Number 24' is a perfectly written, inspiring and heart warming novel which will leave you feeling like a puzzle; complete. Picture Mary Poppins' never ending bag. Got that? Make that bag even bigger and you will have a clearer image of exactly how much Juliet Ashton's novel kept on giving.

This book blew me away several times over. It made me incredibly emotional one moment and in hysterics the next. It opened my eyes to the true beauty of hope, true friendships and being loved for who you are.
More importantly, 'The Woman at Number 24' ended up being the puzzle piece that I didn't even know was missing.
Outstanding and by far my most favourite book of 2017.

Huge thanks to Simon & Shuster.