Good Neighbors

by Stephanie Burgis

Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Pages: 202
Rating:

Synopsis:

When a grumpy inventor meets her outrageous new neighbor in the big black castle down the road, more than one type of spark will fly!

Mia Brandt knows better than to ever again allow her true powers to be discovered. Ever since her last neighbors burned down her workshop in a night of terror and flame, she's been determined to stay solitary, safe, and - to all outside appearances - perfectly respectable...

But Leander Fabian, whose sinister castle looms over her cozy new cottage, has far more dangerous ideas in mind. When he persuades Mia into a reluctant alliance, she finds herself swept into an exhilarating world of midnight balls, interfering countesses, illicit opera house expeditions, necromantic duels, and a whole unnatural community of fellow magic-workers and outcasts, all of whom are facing a terrifying threat.

Luckily, Mia has unnatural powers of her own - but even her unique skills may not be enough to protect her new found family and help her resist the wickedly provoking neighbor who's seen through all of her shields from the beginning.

This novel-length collection includes all four stories and novellas originally published on Stephanie Burgis's Patreon in 2020-2021: Good Neighbors, Deadly Courtesies, Fine Deceptions, and Fierce Company.

Stephanie Burgis’ Good Neighbors is actually a collection of short novellas, each of which is linked to one another, but which do feel a little episodic when read together (rather than seamlessly fitting together like a novel). There’s the odd recap sentence here and there where reading in this format makes you want to say “yeah, I know, you said so five minutes ago”.

The relationship between Leander and Mia is predictable enough, but there are some cute moments; their allies are perhaps more interesting to me, particularly Carmilla and Eliza (and I think there is a novella about them which I might well read), and also Mia’s father and his relationship with Uriah. All in all, there’s a touch of found family in it which is always fun (Mia only has her father at first, but ends up surprisingly opening up to her options with all kinds of neighbours).

It was a quick read and not one that seems to be sticking with me very well, but it was fun enough.

Rating: 3/5