My Life Next Door

There’s just so much to love about this book. Here are a few of my faves…Location, location, location: As a born and bred New England girl, I absolutely adored the touches of authentic seaside life that Huntley weaves throughout the book. The area in which this story takes place is so dreamy and romantic, and so perfectly summertime in New England.The Garrett Family: Sigh…this family is just perfect. They are loud, messy, chaotic and intense, and you’ll never find another family who love each other so fiercely. It’s apparent that Huntley has strong family bond of her own, because the relationships that she creates between all of the members of this wild clan are totally relatable and authentic. So much of “My Life Next Door’ is filled with real, every day moments, and I couldn’t get enough of the dynamics of the Garrett family and how amazing they were.Swoony romance: Well, of course there HAD to be a good dose of romance in this book. We all know how much I love me some swoon, and ohhhh Jase Garrett, how you make me swoon! He’s a family man, he takes care of those he loves and he knows exactly what to say and do to make everything better. Seriously, Jase is made of awesome and I adored him so much for the love and patience he showed Samantha. Truly, he’s a keeper!What I love most about this book is the fact that although all of the characters from this book are different from one another in their own way, they’re all going through something that is forcing them to face a hard truth. Samantha is realizing that life doesn’t always have to be what someone else has planned for you, and her mother is learning that being perfect doesn’t always mean being right. Jase is discovering that sometimes life gives you hope in the most unexpected of places, and his parents are faced with the fact that there isn’t always safety in numbers. What makes ‘My Life Next Door’ so special is that even in times of hard truths and turmoil, it’s what you make of the moments that really shapes the outcome.I honestly can’t think of anything in this book that didn’t work for me. Even though I HATED Samantha’s mom with the fire of a thousand suns, I still appreciated her role in the story. She was a catalyst for so much that happens, and even though I would constantly cringe because of things she said or did, I knew her character served a very important purpose. Ugh…she made me so angry though!! Oh, and her boyfriend is just THE.WORST!!!!As much as I love the dynamic and romance between Jase and Samantha, and even though there are plenty of swoony moments between the two, the moment in the book that had me reaching for the tissues was a quiet moment between Samantha and Tim in which he is a loyal and honest friend to her (and Jase) by encouraging her to do the right thing. It’s in this scene that we realize the true depth to Tim, and it was here that I knew I needed to read more about him. Thankfully, Huntley heard the calls and ‘The Boy Most Likely To’ comes out in just over a month.THIS BOOK IS THE PERFECT SWOONY ROMANCE THAT HAS YOU FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE GARRETT FAMILY AND CHEERING FOR JASE AND SAMANTHA UNTIL THE VERY END. ADD THIS ONE TO YOUR SUMMER READING LIST TODAY!

I really thought I was getting into a pretty light and fluffy book when I first started reading My Life Next Door. It seemed like that at the beginning. This book was so much more than a light summer read. Even though it wasn’t what I thought it would be, I ended up liking it.The characters were really well written. I genuinely liked the Garretts. Maybe it’s because I relate to them a bit. The family is really full of life and there never is a dull moment. The younger kids are especially cute and I love their uncensored comments. Even the characters I didn’t like were so well written because that’s how they were supposed to make the reader feel. I like when I really hate a character I’m supposed to hate. I want to connect with all the characters in some way, and Huntley Fitzpatrick accomplished that. Clay made my blood boil and Grace made me want to know why she was such a weak person. All the characters really made me want to invest myself in them, and that’s how it should be.As the story goes on I thought I had gotten through the main conflict within the book and it got a bit slow. Then I was hit with something even bigger. It really made the book so much than about growing up and first love. The book also ending up becoming about real life adult decisions and family. It also made the book more than a sweet summer romance, which I ended up appreciating.I feel like the book ended without resolving a few things. I want to know more about some of the lesser characters. Maybe my questions will be answered in the next book. At least that’s what I’m hoping. I’m glad I ended up reading this book about summer, first love, and family.Tags: big families first love summer2 Responses to “Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick” Megan June 24th, 2014 I’ve heard a lot about this one. I think I will give it a try, it sounds excellent. Reply Danya June 24th, 2014 I’ve seen primarily positive things about this one – it does look like a good read for the summer, but nice that it’s not all fluff! I’ve heard that it doesn’t just focus on the romance but has a lot about family as well, which is great because often contemporary YA zeroes in on the romantic plot at the expense of other storylines. Danya recently posted…Get It… or Forget It? (1)My Profile ReplyLeave a ReplyName *Email (not published) *WebsiteCommentLuv badgeNotify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.Follow Me twitter facebook bloglovin rss goodreadsNews From The KingdomJoin 345 others who subscribe to the Kingdom and get newsletters straight to their inboxEmail address:Search

ReviewCute contemporary's have kind of been my thing recently. I can't get enough of them, so long as they don't stray too far into the cheesy, and I'm happy to report that this book doesn't push the boundaries of cheesy.What can I say. Samantha and Jace. So amazing. Honestly, the story between these two is so sweet, it had me hooked from very early on. I'm a huge fan of the whole young love storyline in books, especially when it feels real. I like believing in the relationship, rather than thinking it's just a passing thing and will fizzle out. I believed in Samatha and Jace.The interactions between the two of them were flawless, so I'd have to say that romance wise, this book is an unmistakable 10/10.This book is just about the romance. There's also a load of family drama playing out, and I loved that! It's fantastic having that element to the story. His family, I loved. They were all developed really well, and provided some of the best moments in the book. Her family was interesting and well developed and realistic. I loved it.The friends were great too, and I liked how they added their own touch of drama to the mix.The only fault I could find in this book, is that very occasionally, mostly towards the end of the book, I found Samatha a touch annoying, but this soon passed and the book was fantastic.Rating: 9/10

Check out more reviews at aishareadsbooks.blogspot.co.ukA lot of people complained because the problem doesn't arise until quite late into the book, however I rather liked that cos even though I love Sarah Dessen books, I'm not that big a fan of the whole get together/really close and basically together, big fight about things they've left unresolved then get together in the last few pages again, so you never really know how their relationship is going to pan out other than the fact that they're staying together in their own little forever.With this book, we got to see Sam and Jase's relationship quite honestly, he's easygoing, she's easygoing around him and she's perfectly fine with the contained chaos that is his family. I liked that Jase and Sam never really had the big fight scene I was dreading, although the break up was bad enough for me.So the main relationship is an A+ for me. The main characters are pretty good, perhaps an A-. The supporting characters are also an A+, they may not be there for long but they're very fleshed with the exception of one character whom i always forget but I suppose that's more my fault than his.You've probably seen people discussing Tim and Nan and I have to agree with them, for me Tim wasn't that much of a pleasant surprise just because Sam had previously said that he and her used to be very close so it was just pleasant for me to see their relationship go back to how it was, and probably even better seeing as how his best friends are her and Jase. I was slightly disappointed at Nan if only in terms of women liking other women being a bit of an issue at play here, but otherwise she was a well thought out character and sadly things like that do happen.

I've been wanting to read My Life Next Door for about a year now, ever since it was first published in hardcover. I finally caved in and bought a copy a couple of weeks ago, and I'm so glad I did. I read it straight away and I'm still in that dreamy state of sighing that inevitably accompanies a good YA contemporary read. I'm also head over heels in love with Jase, who I wish was real and actually lived next door to me. Swoon.Samantha Reed has lived next door to the Garrett family for years, always watching them - a chaotic family of ten - from her balcony. She's seen Jase around, but has never spoken to him or his family before, thanks to her mother's dislike for anyone with the surname Garrett. One day all that changes, as Jase sits next to her and starts a conversation. Nothing is ever the same again, for either family, and nothing ever can be.Fitzpatrick is a brilliant writer, perfectly capturing the intense feelings of lust and first love, along with all the confusion and uncertainty that comes with it. Sam and Jase are absolutely brilliant together - one of my new favourite YA couples - and every scene they shared sparkled like a sunrise. Their chemistry is palpable on the page; they're in love and that's all there is to it. And it's not cheesy or instant either, instead it slowly grows and becomes more serious as the days go on. I love both of them and I wish I knew them!One of the unexpected highlights of this book is Jase's larger-than-life family, especially his little brother George. They're do down to earth and normal, caring only about living life and having fun doing so. They're not the richest people, they don't have amazing jobs, but they're happy and content, which is more than can be said for Sam's mother. She's a politician, and firmly has her head stuck somewhere it shouldn't be. She's a complete snob, looking down on anyone she thinks is beneath her. It's such a negative contrast to the Garrett family, but it's something that is so important to the story and gives a better insight into Sam's decision making process.My Life Next Door went in a direction I wasn't expecting, but one that strangely fit the characters and their stories. It's a bit of a shocker at first - not necessarily in a bad way - it's just not what I expected.This book is almost four-hundred pages long but it doesn't feel like it; the pages practically move themselves in a desperate attempt to find out what is going to happen. It's *that* addictive. I know a few other readers had a problem with the abrupt ending, but I didn't mind it. No, there isn't a resolute feeling of closure, but I'm hoping that's because there might be a sequel one day. I'm dying to go back to Sam and Jase and their crazy families so, if you're listening, Huntley Fitzpatrick - more please!This book is perfect for anyone who likes YA contemporary, from Lisa Schroeder to Sarah Dessen. It's a shiny gem just waiting to be found, read and devoured from cover to cover, and then read again. It's well written, realistic and, if possible, much better than I ever thought it could be. Oh, and have I mentioned Jase? I have? Good. Because I want one.

First things first, this is a summer book so I probably would of liked it more if I actually read it in the summer rather than the winter. It made me feel sad that its freezing cold in the UK and so far away from "summer' thats if we actually get a proper one this year but I highly doubt that we will. Oh well a girl can dream! When I heard about this book I felt like I must read it right away as contemporary YA books are my weak spot, I love them so much.The synopsis doesn't give much away other than the fact it will have a bit of romance in it, I really enjoyed the plot of this book as it was well thought and it definitely had a lot of charm to it. I love the Garrett family, they may seem like the dreaded neighbours from hell with a lot of kids but you really do end up liking them as you get to know each individual member of the family. Their personalities are all so different from each others but I think thats what makes the family work, especially as they come together during distressing times and help one and other through it. I wasn't too keen on Samantha's family however, her mum was a definite snob so it was painful to read about her and her judgemental ways- not cool Miss Reed!. We didn't get to know Samantha's sister that much which was a shame as she didn't seem to bad when she was actually in the book. What was with Clay as well, Clay is the politics crazy boyfriend of Samantha's mother. I don't like the way he treated Sam, blackmailing her and making her feel guilty because she knew something that could potentially ruin her mum but if she kept it quiet it would also ruin other peoples lives!Although the romance in this book was cute I was hoping to get more from it? there was definitely chemistry between Samantha and Jase but I was secretly hoping that she would end up with Tim! Ah Tim the screwed up older brother of Samantha's best friend Nan. I wasn't mad about Nan either as I felt that she gave Samantha a hard time about petty things, I don't like petty people at all. I think that Tim and Samantha might have been an interesting match and I would've loved to read about them.All in all it was an enjoyable read with a wonderful bunch of characters that I definitely wont be forgetting anytime soon! a perfect debut novel from Huntley Fitzpatrick, I look forward to reading more of her stuff in the future. I recommend that you read this book in the summer though as it is a perfect read for a lazy session in the sun.

Originally posted at [...]I'm quickly falling completely and hopelessly in love with Contemporary Romance. Or Contemporary Fiction as a whole. And it's all thanks to novels such as Eleanor and Park and My Life Next Door. Both books, that have taken up my spare time where I could be doing something productive. Isn't reading productive? I saw this book a lot of Booktube. Something I'm something of an avid watcher, fangirl, stalker. But it took me ages to buy it, and then when I did, it sat on my shelves for weeks,waiting in line for me to finish with my (very long) TBR list.My Life Next Door Next Door is a summer romance with depth. It centers around the protagonist Samantha who used to sit on her roof and watch the large, raucous family the Garretts and (subconsciously) maybe wish that she was a part of it all. Samantha is from a well off family that consists of her Mum Grace and her sister Tracy. Whereas Jase is from a family than can struggle for money, yet they are so full of fun and love that it doesn't matter. Samantha feels slightly stifled by her prim and proper mother, who seems to dislike the Garrets and wishes that she were part of a family like that.Then Jase comes along and gives her a taste of what it's like to be free and happy and wild. she falls in love with Jase's massive family, just as much as she falls in love with Jase himself (and honestly, who can blame her?)But her happy bubble is burst when she "witnesses" something she wishes she didn't. She becomes torn by doing what is right, which will inadvertently affect her mother, or what is wrong, which will come to affect Samantha herself. This story gives a taste of what it's like to be young. To be stifled under your parents law. As this story develops, Sam slowly learns the true meaning of love, family, life and that she should always, always stick up for herself when people aim to bring her down.So here's a breakdown of everything I loved about this book in a neat little list.1. Jase and Samantha's relationship is adorable.2. It's family focussed. It really highlights the good sides of a good family!3. It has depth while still being hopelessly adorable.4. The little conflict. I know that a story needs some conflict, but this story. God it just worked, okay?And I'm being cliche here. But this gave me such a feeling of happiness reading this. It was like this big, wobbling bubble right in my chest. It was almost as if I myself had fallen in love. And in a way, I have, I've fallen in love with a book. And no matter how many times I read this, whether it's twice or ten times. I will always read it with the same fond smile that I did the first time.