Title:My Life Next Door
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
"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, 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?
A
transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to
be true to one person you love without betraying another.
Samantha has lived with her single mother and her rebelious older sister all of her life. And, from the time they moved in, her mother has despised the Garrets who lived next door. From their toys in the yard to dead plants, but her biggest disgust was that they had so many children. The were like rabbits, she would say. Samantha didn't think so, though, and every night she would watch the Garrets from her rooftop. She would play out situations in her mind when she couldn't hear actual conversations. That is until she is pulled into their world when Jase Garret joined Samantha on her roof one day. Taking her on a summer she will never forget and her mother won't either.
I loved the first 75 percent of this book. It was set up very well, giving you a feeling that you were actually in Samantha's house, suffering right there with her. All the characters were well rounded, including ones that didn't seem ever really have a point. This also helped the book flow very well. There was a lot of humor in this book, especially where the Garret kids were concerned. Patsy and George had me in tears I would laugh so hard.
Though I did enjoy the characters, I didn't like the mother. This might be a personal opinion, but I felt like she was toned up too much. She is hardly ever around and when she is she isn't like a mother. I just found myself hating this woman by the way she treated her children. The last 15% was rather slow for me. Where as it should have been the climax, I really didn't feel it.
Overall, I gave this book a 3.5/5 Stars. It is a light summer romance that will have you laughing throughout. The Garrets are amazing.
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