I really enjoyed this book! I thought the storyline was quite unusual, dealing with agoraphobia and how the main character deals with this. Being set in the 90s made an interesting change as when Jim didn’t come home, Laura couldn’t just text him or look things up on a laptop!

I liked the focus on friendships and communication. I guessed quite early on, where the story was going, due to some clues given by the neighbours. I would have liked to have had a bit more content regarding the outcome for Jim towards the end, but this didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book.

An uplifting read! I would definitely recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

TW: Assault, intense gaslighting, alcoholism

This book was much more mystery style than I thought it would be (especially based on the cover design). While mysteries aren’t my favorite genre, I did enjoy getting to see Laura’s story unfold and becoming familiar with all her neighbors in the process. I do think it’s quite easy to figure out the ending and wish there were more twists or a build up to the reveal at the end of the book.

Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Laura's steady change from being scared of everything, living in isolation due to her total dependance of her husband - who suddenly disappears - is quite interesting. But the great mystery - Where is Jim? What happened to Jim? Who is Jim? - can be guessed too easily by the clues she gets from her neighbors.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I loved this book!! A bit of mystery and then the overcoming of a life changing disorder. Loved the characters and I kept wondering what the result was going to be and where Jim was and what was going on with him.
Very well thought out and written.

An interesting and unique plot which blew me away, this is my first book by this author and I loved the writing style, characters and plot This features important issues such as agoraphobia (fear of leaving the house) and sheds light on the big effects this can have on a person such as losing yourself and your sense of community. I loved learning more about the different sets of characters and seeing them grow. I also loved the twists, I really didn't see them coming and I was so shocked. Everything worked so well and I didn't want to put this down.

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. Will recommend it to everyone I know!

This is my fourth book by this author and she never disappoints. I highly recommend How To Save A Life. Every book by this author has been a four or five star read. The World Outside My Window continues to prove that Swatman is a favourite author of mine, she has a special way of making ordinary life into extraordinary stories. The characters always manage to capture my heart and make me emotional. I always want to cheer them on and wish the best for them. They are not withou5 their flaws but they learn and grow. They show resilience and manage to find ways to overcome their obstacles realistically.

Swatman’s plots always have important issues, ones that the character usually has to overcome and the author always manages to do this in a sensitive manner. The side characters don’t have minor roles, we get their background and learn their personalities as well. I liked the way the book ended positively with Laura looking to the future.

The characters in this novel are well-developed and endearing, and the sense of community is palpable. The story touches on themes of trauma, grief, friendship, and love, all while exploring the power of human connection. Swatman's writing is engaging and emotive, and she does a great job of balancing the darker moments with lighter ones.

The World Outside My Window is a poignant and uplifting read that will leave you feeling inspired. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love and community. I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good heart-warming story. I give it 4 stars.

The World Outside My Window has a fantastic galley description- one of the best I’ve read in awhile. I couldn’t wait to curl up with it. While I did stay interested, I can’t say it was as engrossing as I’d hoped. The characters remained more at the surface level than the deep plunge I’d expected.

Certainly readable, and a good way to pass your time. I believe I’d have enjoyed it more if I went in blind. It happens. I’d definitely try another book by Clare Swatman.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for allowing access to a digital ARC for review purposes.

Perfectly basic, simple read when you don't want to think too hard. Nothing earth-shattering here, but a very enjoyable, easy read.

"The World Outside My Window" drew me in with the history of the characters and why Laura has become agoraphobic. It felt believable and well written. The friendship between Laura and Debbie was the heart of the story, as were the relationships she formed with her neighbors and how she overcame her fears. The relationship between she and. her husband seemed minor in significance and the explanation for his behavior at the end felt as unsatisfying, as it was probably meant to be. Recommended for fans of Clare Swatman and those who appreciate stories about women who overcome great obstacles. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. #TheWorldOutsideMyWindow #NetGalley

I thought this book was really good & really felt for Laura.
Thanks for the opportunity to read & review this book.

The beginning of this book blew me away as it was so well done. Laura has agoraphobia after sudden trauma. I was glad she had her husband for support. I was so angry at him for suddenly leaving her. I thought "hadn't she been through enough?"

Laura's personal fight turns out to not just be about agoraphobia, and is something much bigger as she tries to move on.

Clare Swatman has a talent for moving plots with big issues, and writes in a way that she always keeps me hooked. This is not my first novel by her and it won't be my last. She's an author whose books I always look forward to.

I'm not sure why there was a point of view change from first to third person, and this threw me off a bit. However, I was still keen to find out how Laura moved on, and I was totally invested in the plot and concerned for her.

I liked Debbie and Ben and the supportive atmosphere of where she ended up. I was so glad she had people to help her. I did want her husband to get what he deserved.

Thanks to Clare Swatman, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read Clare Swatman's The World Outside My Window.

I enjoyed this book quite a lot, but was mostly impressed by the gentleness with which the author wrote about the protagonist's fragileness. The best friend's loyalty and love was refreshing, and then he neighbors were all SO well written. I'll be recommending this one.

4 Stars

Laura achieved success at a young age as the head chef in an upscale London restaurant…until she is attacked one night in an isolated parking lot as she leaves work. Her world collapses as she struggles with severe anxiety manifesting as agoraphobia. Now house-bound Laura is dependent on her husband, Jim, for everything related to the external world. Despite moving to a new home in a peaceful neighborhood, her condition does not improve and even worsens in some respects. It is only when her reliable husband doesn’t return home for weeks that Laura finds the motivation and the courage to venture out to determine what has happened to her husband.

I admire the author’s skill in vividly characterizing the emotional, mental, and physical turmoil that contributed to Laura’s experience of agoraphobia. The descriptions of her efforts to simply walk to an open door and view her garden, as well as eventually leaving the house, are heart-breaking and intense. Her discovery of Jim’s deception was not a surprise to me, but it did make for an engaging and interesting read. The support Laura receives from her best friend and her neighbors was heart-warming and critical to her recovery. The outcome of her search and the possibility of a loving relationship were a gratifying conclusion to a well-written, well-paced book.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Laura is unable to leave her house due to a trauma she suffered and spends her days gazing out of her window, relying on her husband Jim and her friend Debbie for any help she needs. And then Jim goes missing and doesn't return home, I absolutely loved this book, and I kept wanting to keep reading, I really like Laura, Debbie and Ben their characters were so well developed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An easy to read story, enjoyed the characters, fairly predictable at times.
I did enjoy the themes of female friendship, particularly the main characters best friend who never gives up on her. And the sense of community with the neighbours was very enjoyable.

I started reading this book and thought "Oh no, I don't like where this is going." I considered putting the book down. But there are several NetGalley books that I have not reviewed and it just didn't feel fair to add another to the list. So I powered through. Within a matter of a chapter or two, my interest was fully caught. I still had a pretty good idea of where the book was going but I didn't know what route it was going to take to get there and I had to find out. There were times when I wanted to scream "no- no-no!!!" But I kept reading. All in all I'm glad that I did and I would recommend the book. I think it touches rather lightly on certain subjects and gives what I believe to be an accurate description of others ( agoraphobia-- which I believe both my grandmother and my mother suffered from in some degree at different times in their lives).

Thank you to author, Clare Swatman, publisher Boldwood Books and NetGalley for sharing this ebook with me in exchange for an honest review.

Mystery, romance, friendship and overcoming past trauma, this book has it all. Laura Parks suffered a tragedy in an alley 18 months ago, and now she can’t leave her home- her only safe place. When her husband Jim turns up missing and the police won’t help her find him, Laura must confront her fears and, with her friend Debbie, try to discover what happened to him. Now she is finding out he isn’t the man she thinks he is. As secrets are uncovered and the mystery unravels, Laura finds a strength inside she didn’t know she had. I absolutely loved the plot and the friendship between the two women. I give this one four stars. Thank you Netgalley for a digital copy.

The World Outside My Window was one I really enjoyed. Laura is watching the world go by without her. Unable to leave her house after suffering a trauma, Laura is stuck gazing out of her window at Willow Crescent, relying on her husband Jim and best friend Debbie for help.

I was in from the start. Took me all day, but I saw the ending. How heartbreaking and sinister the world was for Laura suffering after her attack to become agoraphobic.Depending on her only friend and husband.
Jim was one low, evil man. Made me want to bake him into a wall.

Great book, and loved how it played out.