Review: My Life Next Door

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Publisher: Dial books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 14th 2012
Pages: 395
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Source: Library
Goodreads

A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over

My Life Next Door was probably my most anticipated book of the summer. From the time I first heard a blogger first mention how much this book I had to get my hands on it. My Life Next Door is the very cute, beautiful, and emotional story of Samantha Reed. Samantha lives the life her single mother has drawn up for her with a flawlessly clean house and attending her mother's reelection meetings for state senator, Samantha is getting pretty tired of it all. Every day Samantha watches her next door neighbors, the Garrents, and wishes more than anything that her life could be more like theirs. And then one day Jase Garret climbs up to her window and she gets pulled into their life and a relationship with Jase.

Samantha, the main character is a character that grows a lot through out the story. I really liked how she grew from watching the world she wanted to be part of, to actually joining the life and people that she wanted to live and be with. At the beginning she mainly does whatever her mother tells her, but after breaking out of her shell she is able to stand up for what is right when she is faced with an impossible dilemma. Jase Garret, the boy that lives next door who ends up capturing Samantha's heart is one of the nicest, most responsible characters I have ever read about. He is so caring for his siblings, his parents, and Samantha, and he seems to always know how to make things right. I really loved Jase to pieces. I really liked how the setting was very summery and had a very warm feel to it. The end of the story had a lot of internal conflict that was very well written and I really felt all of the conflict that Samantha endures with everything going on.

My Life Next Door is a great Contemporary Romance with a wonderful summery feel that I absolutely loved to pieces, highly recommended!