Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick | Sister Reads

Book: My Life Next Door

Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick

Pages: 394

I Read It On: My Kindle

I Read It In: 6 hours (across two days)

Plot Summary: The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

Thoughts and Review: The main characters of this book- Samantha and Jase- are very cute. They are both good, kind and nice, especially, Jase. It was refreshing to read about teenagers who are portrayed as intelligent, focused and responsible. Also, the supporting characters of Tim and his twin, Nan (Jase's best friend), were very interesting. There were themes of academic pressure, keeping up appearances, our tendency to quickly judge those who are different from us.

Even though this book is a YA romance, there are some interesting themes discussed in it- the bitterness that some single parents carry with them (Samantha's uptight, rigid and often annoyingly superior mother), the duplicity of 'public life' and 'personal life' (Samantha's mom and her friend Nan's public images, for instance) and, finally, how prejudice can be poisonous. 

This is a cute love story with some interesting characters and I found it quite enjoyable. Definitely an easy-breezy summer read! 

Will You Like It?: If you enjoy YA (Young Adult) romances and are looking for something cute and fun to read this summer, then My Life Next Door is a great option! 

Rating: 4/5