This week on Jen’s Jewels, I’m chatting with Sheila Roberts about her charming and witty new book, THE MAN NEXT DOOR. Zona is trying to start over after a tough divorce, juggling money woes, family, and a move back in with her hilarious, fun-loving mom, Louise. But things get even more interesting when a mysterious neighbor shows up, keeping readers guessing and laughing along the way. Sheila gives us a peek behind the scenes—sharing what inspired the story, her favorite characters, and even what’s on her TBR pile. If you love heart, humor, and a little suspense all rolled into one, this one’s for you!
Jen: What sparked the idea for THE MAN NEXT DOOR?
Sheila: Watching the classic Alfred Hitchcock movie Rear Window. I thought it was time for a Sheila rewrite of that tale!
Jen: Zona is such a relatable character, juggling divorce, finances, and family while trying to start over. What inspired her journey?
Sheila: Poor Zona! I did need to find a reason for her to move in with her mother and financial troubles seemed like the perfect solution. Well, for me, not her. Zona’s marriage was ruined by financial infidelity. Shockingly, this happens a lot. One partner in the marriage has a problem and hides it – loses money, misspends, has an affair – and suddenly the marriage and the wife’s financial future is in trouble. In Zona’s case, her husband developed a gambling problem and blew through their savings as well as her daughter’s college savings. Fortunately for Zona, she had a supportive mother who was there to help her.
Jen: Louise adds so much heart and comic relief to the story. How did you approach writing the mother-daughter dynamic between Zona and Louise?
Sheila: I love writing about mothers and daughters, maybe because I had such an awesome mother. She was always there for me, always supportive. So I wanted Louise to be that kind of mom. But I also wanted Louise to be fun. Poor Louise! Someone needed to be laid up with a broken leg, just like the hero in Rear Window, and that someone turned out to be her. How she broke her leg (getting a little carried away doing the Cupid Shuffle on her short-lived singles cruise) says a lot about Louise’s personality. I did love writing her because she was fun and a little dingy, but also wise and caring. Maybe Louise is a composite of my mother and me – wise and caring (Mom) and a little dingy (me).
Jen: The mysterious neighbor really keeps readers guessing. Did you always know who he was from the beginning, or did his character evolve as you wrote?
Sheila: No, I knew all along who he was. Turning him into a bit of a shape shifter was a fun challenge.
Jen: If THE MAN NEXT DOOR were made into a movie, who would you cast as Zona, Louise, and the neighbor?
Sheila: I think Kristen Bell would be a great Zona. And for the man next door? Mark Wahlburg. As for Louise? Well, I think I should play Louise. Don’t you?
Jen: Which character was your favorite to write, and why?
Sheila: I’d have to say Zona because she offered so many comic possibilities.
Jen: The book explores themes of resilience, reinvention, and trusting your instincts. What message do you hope readers take away from Zona’s story?
Sheila: Besides a smile, I really hope women will come away encouraged that whatever they’re going through they can hit restart and rebuild their lives. THE MAN NEXT DOOR is a fun mystery romp, but its subliminal message is You Can Do It!
Jen: Can you share a hint about what you’re working on next?
Sheila: Battle of the sexes. Can a romance bookstore owner tame an angry misogynist shock jock?
Jen: What’s on your TBR stack right now? Any authors or upcoming releases you’re especially excited to read?
Sheila: Right now, I’m reading Rachel Linden’s The Secret of Orange Blossom Cake. After that comes a new to me author, Jessica King. I’m looking forward to reading her novel, The Best Friends Playlist.
Jen: Tell us one interesting fact about yourself that readers might not know.
Sheila: That’s a challenge because I’ve blabbed so much about myself over the years. Here’s something I’m happy about. I’ve actually had a cut on a CD – Paul Baloche’s “The Same Love.” Before becoming a writer, I’d wanted to make it as a songwriter, so to finally see an artist singing a song I co-wrote was a blessing. By the way, if you want to see me in action, hop over to YouTube and check out the song “Merry Christmas Mama” that I wrote with my pal Ed Kerr. We wrote the song and filmed a music video to go with my novel Merry Ex-Mas. Filming that was so much fun! You can see me getting hauled off by Santa. That was back when my hair was brown. (Boy, do I miss my brown hair!)
Jen: And finally, how can fans connect with you online?
Sheila: I hope they will hang out with me on Facebook, where there’s always something fun going on. I’m also on Instagram and TikTok.
Jen: Thank you for stopping by to chat about THE MAN NEXT DOOR. It’s been such a pleasure, and I know readers are going to love this witty and suspenseful read!
Sheila: Thank you so much for having me. It’s an honor!
THE MAN NEXT DOOR by Sheila Roberts
Love in the Time of Serial Killers meets The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window in this delightful romp about a recently broke divorcee who moves in with her house-bound mother only to spend their days spying on her grumpy, mysterious, and sexy new neighbor.
Zona never thought her life was headed this way, but here she is, newly divorced and moving back in with her mom, Louise. After her gambling addicted ex-husband lost all of their savings, including their daughter’s college fund, she doesn’t really have a choice. She’s cutting every coupon she can and she’s going to help put her daughter through nursing school, even if it kills her.
This wasn’t Louise’s plan, either, laid up at home with a broken leg after one unfortunate tumble on the senior singles cruise she’d been looking forward to for months. But if she’s going to spend all her time at home, at least she’s got her daughter there with her. And there’s some hot new eye candy next door to distract them both from their troubles. He appears to be single and just around Zona’s age. Could his arrival be the universe making amends for everything it’s put her through?
Maybe the universe isn’t feeling as generous as Louise hoped. There’s something lurking under that mans surface charm, something…dangerous? And who’s the woman they can hear him in all-out shouting matches with on the other side of the fence? When the woman seems to disappear without a trace, imaginations run wild. Or at least, Zona hopes it’s just her mother’s imagination…
Audiobook Narrator- Courtney Patterson
Women’s Fiction Family Life [MIRA, On Sale: October 14, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780778360285 / eISBN: 9780369773784]
Buy THE MAN NEXT DOOR: Amazon.com | Kindle | BN.com | Apple Books | Kobo | Books-A-Million | Indie BookShops | Ripped Bodice | Libro.fm | Audible | Walmart.com | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR
About Sheila Roberts
Read Sheila for a Good Time
USA Today and Publishers Weekly best-selling author Sheila Roberts has written over fifty books under various names, ranging from romance and women’s fiction to self-improvement. Over three million of her novels have been sold and that number continues to climb. Her humor and heart have won her a legion of fans and her novels have been turned into movies for the Lifetime, Hallmark, and Great American Family channels. Sheila is also a popular speaker, and has been featured at women’s retreats, writers’ conferences, and banquets. When she’s not out dancing with her husband or hanging out at the beach with friends, she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends and chocolate.
Life In Icicle Falls | Moonlight Harbor
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About Jennifer Vido
Jennifer Vido writes sweet romances set in the Lowcountry, earning acclaim as the award-winning author of the Gull Island series. Her debut novel, “Serendipity by the Sea,” secured the prestigious Best First Book award from the New Jersey Romance Writers Golden Leaf Contest. In 2024, Vido’s talent garnered further accolades, with Baltimore Magazine readers naming her Best Local Author in their annual Best of Baltimore poll, while the Baltimore Sun acknowledged her with an Honorable Mention in their Best of 2024 Author category. When not writing fiction, she interviews authors for her weekly Jen’s Jewels column, leads water exercise classes, and directs a legal nonprofit. Currently residing in Maryland, she and her husband are proud parents to two grown sons and a rescue dog named Fripp.
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