My Life Next DoorPublisher: Dial Books, 2012Genre: New Adult Contemporary
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?
Sometimes perfect needs a little bit of messy. Wealthy, beautiful, and popular, Samantha Reed leads the perfect life. But compared to the Garretts next door, her life is dull. Every day she spies on them from her bedroom balcony, until one day Jase Garrett climbs up and stops by for a talk. A fateful meeting that changes everything in Sam’s life as she and the boy next door fall in love. Then tragedy strikes and Sam faces the hardest decision ever. Will she be strong enough and choose to do the right thing?
Huntley Fitzpatric’s My Life Next Door is a whirlwind of romance, a story that will tug at your heart, break it, and rebuild it again.
Samantha was an interesting character to read. I saw her as a bit timid and fearful of stuff, kind of a pushover with her mom and sister. Her mom is the state senator and she insists on having everything perfect; a perfectly clean house, a perfect outfit, and perfect daughters. Sam’s older sister Tracy doesn’t roll with that, she’s a rebel. Samantha is thinking maybe rebel is not such a bad thing. Then she meets the Garrets, and the change is evident. She turns into a take-charge kind of girl, she’s helpful and funny. I loved the banter she got going on with Jace sometimes.
Jase was perfect. He was caring, loving, cute, hot, attentive, just overall amazing. But a little too perfect for me. I mean, I couldn’t find any fault in him, and that’s just not realistic. Sam and Jace times on the roof, in their rooms, out on the beach, were again perfect. A little bit of romance with a dash of teenage hormones and a whole lot of heartfelt words. Even with all the time they spend together, Jace starts feeling left out of Sam’s life. He was totally right in calling her on it, and I like that she accepted being wrong.
The Garrets are my favorite family ever: Joel, Alice (rock on!), Jase (<3), Andy, Duff, Harry, George (cuteness overload), and Patsy (love her vocabulary). George was just hilarious with his endless facts of horrible things that could happen to a human being in different situations. I love how everyone always struggled for an answer that could make him calm down. And then Alice so protective of her brothers and sister, while still being the rebel of the family.
Tim is also other characters worth mentioning. At first, I didn’t get why their story was important, but then things pick up speed and clear up. I really did like Tim by the end, but I don’t think someone who’s addicted to controlled substances and alcohol can heal that quickly. Sure, he struggled but not as much as I would expect someone like that to struggle. I’m thinking it had to do with the AA meetings that Mr. Garrett required of him, but I don’t know. Also, it bothered me that they took so long to get him some help.
The ending had a horrible surprise. I think I started hyperventilating and everything with the news-bomb that was unleashed. After that, a lot of cursing ensued. Sam finds herself all alone, but I couldn’t find it in me to feel sorry for her. She brought it onto herself, and she needed to atone. Lucky for her Jase is a saint. Not sure I’m completely happy with how the families solved their issues, but I did like how Sam and Jace resolved theirs. This is one amazing debut by Huntley Fitzpatrick, and I’ll be looking forward to anything she releases next.
Favorite Quotes:
~Voldemort~
“Voldemort has escaped,” he announces.
“Hell.” Jase sounds upset, which, considering that info about Harry Potter is old news, seems odd. “Did you take him out of his cage?” Jase is at the door of his room in two strides.
“Just for a minute. To see if he was gonna shed his skin soon.”
“Duff, you know better.” Jase is on his knees, peering under the bed and the bureau.
“Voldemort is—?” I ask Duff.
“Jase’s corn snake. I named him.”
It takes all my self-control not to leap onto the bureau. Jase is rummaging in the closet now. “He likes shoes,” he explains over his shoulder.
Voldemort the corn snake with the shoe fetish. Wonderful.
~Desire~
I can’t stop wondering what just happened there. I could swear he was looking at me like he wanted to kiss me. What’s stopping him? Maybe he isn’t attracted to me at all. Maybe he just wants to be friends? I’m not sure I can pull off being just friends with someone whose clothes I want to rip off.
Oh God. Did I actually just think that? I steal another look at Jase in his jeans. Yes. Yes, I did.
~Dangerous Studies~
“So if I were to come see you after eight, you’d be studying.”
“Absolutely. But I might want a…study buddy. Because I might be grappling with some really tough problems.”
“Grappling, huh?”
“Tussling with,” I say. “Wrestling. Handling.”
“Gotcha. Sounds like I should bring protective gear to study with you.” Jase grins at me.
“You’re pretty tough. You’ll be fine.”
