Huntley Fitzpatrick
Dial Books For Young Readers
June 2012
5/5
Quotes:
“Is Jase already gonna marry you?”
I start coughing again. “Uh, No. No, George. I’m only seventeen.” As if that’s the only reason we’re not engaged.
“I’m this many.” George holds up four, slightly grubby fingers. “But Jase is seventeen and a half. You could. Then you could live in here with him. And have a big family.”
Jase strides back into the room, of course, midway through this proposition. “George. Beat it. Discovery Channel is on.”
George backs out of the room but not before saying, “His bed’s really comfortable. And he never pees in it.”
“Why do all the hot girls want the jocks and the good boys? We losers are the ones that need you.”
“The Garretts were my bedtime story, long before I ever thought I’d be part of the story myself.”
Huntley Fitzpatrick has written a remarkable and much-loved Young Adult Contemporary Romance Novel with My Life Next Door. I've been reading a lot of these types of novels lately, but none of them (besides Anna and The French Kiss) have been able to compete with this one. It's a book that I could read over and over again and still love it just as much. It has a certain charm that's difficult to fully explain, all I can really say is that it's a wonderful read.
Samantha is seventeen-years-old and she's lived next to the huge Garrett family for her whole life. However, she has simply watched them and never talked to them before. Her mom is a politician and has raised Sam to believe that she's above people like the Garrett family. One day though, she crosses the line and finds her life intertwined with the Garrett's. Meanwhile, she falls in love with Jase Garrett and the summer holds many adventures and drama.
Part of what makes this story so easy to read is the well developed characters. While Samantha and Jase are at the center of it, all of the supporting characters are entertaining and hilarious. Each of them provides a certain level of funny moments in their own right. My favorite though is Jase's little brother George, he's adorable and not afraid to ask Samantha tough questions. There's just some fantastic moments for this little boy. Outside of the Garrett family, I also love Tim, Samantha's best friend's screwed up older brother who also forms a bond with Jase. He's getting his own story called The Boy Most Likely To, which is featuring Jase's sister Alice, coming out later this month. In short, this is a book filled with characters that you'll instantly fall in love with.
The relationship between Jase and Samantha is realistic and incredible to follow. It's safe to say that I loved every second of it. I wasn't a huge fan of the drama between them involving Samantha's mom and her campaign manager, but at least it wasn't a love triangle! Sam made some stupid decisions and at times I just couldn't wait for to wake up, but Jase was perfect and patient with her. Don't get me wrong, both of the characters are extremely well written. The growth of Samantha is quite evident as the book progresses. Jase is one of my personal favorite YA book boyfriends. He's a total good guy, which is surprisingly rare to find in Young Adult books, a lot of them tend to favor bad boys. I love this couple, definitely one of my favorites.
To me, this book doesn't have very many flaws. It's a fast paced read and you instantly find yourself wrapped up in each individual characters and their personal stories. This is aimed at readers who love a good Young Adult book that is sure to make you smile the whole way through.
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