Review : My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Summary (from 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.

Personal Thoughts

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick, with it's adorable cover, has been compared to one of my all-time favorite books, Anna and The French Kiss. Any book that's being compared to that fantastic book has to be awesome, right ? So, did My Life Next Door live up to my expectations ? Although I didn't see anything similar to Anna and The French Kiss, I did enjoy reading the book.

Samantha has lived next doors to the Garretts, a family completely unlike hers, for a very long time now. She loves to watch them from her balcony and wishes she could be with them. Then, one day, Jase Garrett, climbs up to her balcony and her life ultimately changes. The two start to fall for each other and Sam soon finds herself in a dilemma when an event has her choosing between her family and the Garretts.

Sam was a character that I really enjoyed. I felt sympathetic towards her because she lived in a pretty stifling environment with her mother,a bitter woman, always breathing down her neck and expecting her to be the perfect daughter. Sam did behave like the perfect daughter, but deep down she wanted an escape. She wanted to experience a life different from that of her own. From the very beginning, you can sense that she feels very much pressured and quite lonely and because of that, she craved for something more. When she met, Jase and his family, her entire behavior changed. I could see the transformation that had occurred in her in that she was a lot happier than she previously was. Plus, the Garretts' lifestyle forced her to question if everything she did was right. In general, I liked Sam's character, but towards the end, she made poor decisions thinking that she was protecting the people she loved. Although I understood where she was coming from, I didn't approve of it. She was a smart and independent girl and she could have made the right choice, but she was so confused that she wound up hurting not only herself but many other people around her. In the end, Sam did redeem herself, but forgiving her wasn't so easy to be honest.

The Garretts was my favorite fictional family ever. I completely loved them and to me, they were the shining star of the book. In fact, if the entire book had been about what they did daily, I would have still loved it. Hell, if they made a reality show on this totally lovable family I would watch it! A huge family of 8 children, The Garretts were teeming with adorableness. Their eccentric and crazy nature and their different personalities made them appear like a really fun bunch of people! I loved how the author portrayed them as a genuine and realistic family. The interactions between the family members were very entertaining. The Garretts might have been one ginormous family, but they loved each other and this love was palpable throughout the story. They were protective and very supportive of each other. No matter what problem they came across, they tried as best to make each other happy. Kudos to Huntley Fitzpatrick for depicting family life in such a beautiful way. 

I loved the romance in My Life Next Door because it was drama-free and healthy unlike so many romance stories these days. Sam and Jase really got to learn more about each other before jumping into a relationship. I enjoyed the slow pace at which it developed because it seemed genuine. Jase was one swoon-worthy guy. He was a completely nice and trust-worthy guy. Good-hearted and caring, Jase totally had me falling for him. His down-to-earth personality and maturity were incredibly refreshing. Although I loved Jase, his curious toddler brother, George was the one who stole my heart. I can assure you, you'll love George as much as I did because he makes you want to hug him all the time! My Life Next Door wasn't only a story about discovering love, it was also about learning about making the right choices, seeing the truth for what it is and family life. Huntley Fitzpatrick weaved an entertaining and beautiful story when she wrote My Life Next Door. 

My Life Next Door was an entertaining read with its charming characters, swooning romance and a beautiful plot that teaches its readers a moral lesson. YA contemporary lovers will devour this book in an instant ! Huntley Fitzpatrick's debut novel has made me look forward to her future works and I don't hesitate recommending this book at all.

Rating

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 4/5
Characters : 4/5
Writing : 4/5

My review twin Barbara at Basia's Bookshelf also wrote a review for this book earlier this week. While my review is raving, hers points out the huge flaws that really bothered her in the book. If you're interested in reading a different POV from mine, do check out her review. This is the first book on which we disagree, but I still love the chick because she's awesome!