Title: Algo más que vecinos
Author: Isabel Keats
First published December 21, 2012
180 pages, Kindle Edition
Rating: 3.49
Overview
Leopold Gallagher is a wealthy English businessman from an aristocratic family, serious and obsessed with work. One night on the terrace of his house, he meets his new neighbor, Isabel, and mistake her for the old neighbor’s mistress.
Isabel is a kind-hearted and outgoing woman who enjoys helping those in need. After a brief conversation with Leopold, Isabel realizes that he is an unhappy man who needs to be saved from himself.
Despite the strong attraction between them, Leopold tries to keep the impertinent and crazy Isabel at a distance, unwilling to let his adorable neighbor break down the barriers he has erected around himself. However, fate seems to have other plans for them.
“Something more than neighbors” is a simple, cheerful, passionate, and 100% romantic novel that will captivate you from the beginning, and you won’t be able to stop reading.
About the Author
I’m an ordinary woman who one day decided to start writing. I’m a busy mom with a big family, including a dog, and I’m fortunate to have something more valuable than gold: free time, although not as much as I’d like.
I enjoy reading romance novels with happy endings, so in summary: I write romance because that’s what I’m most in the mood to read at this point in my life.
Isabel Keats is the pseudonym of a Madrid-based advertising graduate, married and mother of three girls, who won the HQÑ digital award with “Starting Over”, was a finalist in the Harlequin Short Story Competition with her novel “The Protector”, and was also a finalist in the III Vergara-RNR Romantic Novel Contest with “Embrace My Darkness”. To date, she has published nearly a dozen works, including novels and short stories.
Editoral Review
In “Algo ms que vecinos,” Isabel Keats delivers a heartwarming and emotional tale of friendship, love, and personal growth. Keats is a Spanish author who has written numerous contemporary romance novels and is known for her ability to craft relatable characters and captivating narratives.
The story follows Ana, a young architect who moves into a new apartment building, and her encounters with the building’s eclectic community of neighbors. She quickly befriends Blanca, an elderly painter, who introduces her to the rest of the group, including a gossiping hairdresser, a lovable old man, and a charming young man with a secret past.
With each interaction, Ana learns more about herself and the world around her, and finds unexpected love along the way. What makes “Algo ms que vecinos” stand out is Keats’ skillful portrayal of complex and nuanced characters.
Each person in the apartment building has their own backstory, motivations, and flaws, which Keats explores with empathy and understanding. The setting of the novel, a bustling and diverse urban environment, also adds depth to the story and shows how people from different backgrounds can come together and form meaningful connections.
The pacing of the novel is excellent, with just the right balance of dialogue, action, and introspection. Keats’ writing is expressive and evocative, and the translation by Sarah Pfleiderer ensures that the prose maintains its lyrical quality in English.
The themes of the book, such as the importance of community, the power of art, and the beauty of unexpected relationships, make it a timely and relevant read for anyone looking for hope and connection in today’s world. It also provides a window into Spanish culture and society, which may be of interest to readers looking to expand their cultural horizons.
If there is one weak point of the book, it is that the romantic storyline feels a bit rushed and predictable at times. However, this does not detract from the overall impact of the novel, and Keats’ strengths as a writer more than make up for it.
Overall, “Algo ms que vecinos” is a charming, heartwarming, and thoughtful novel that is sure to leave readers with a renewed appreciation for the power of community and human connection. It is highly recommended for fans of contemporary romance, literature in translation, and anyone who wants to feel inspired and uplifted.
4.5/5 stars.
