You found the house of your dreams, the mortgage came through and the closing went off without a hitch. Then you met your neighbor. If you think you've got it bad, consider Mindy Sherman, the menschy heroine of Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead, Saralee Rosenberg's send-up of suburbia.

Mindy has the misfortune, or so it seems, of living in all-too-close proximity to sancti-Mommy Beth Diamond, she of the perfect body, perfect hair and a home so well-tended she is rumoured to have glued coasters to her baby's bottles.

What distinguishes this hilarious romp through dwindling incomes, feuding in-laws, sullen tweens and infidelity from other recent novels that poke fun at suburbanites is Rosenberg's humour and heart. By the end, you're wishing that you had neighbors like Mindy, author Saralee and, yes, even Beth Diamond.