Book: My Life Next Door
Author:
Huntley Fitzpatrick
Publisher:
DIAL
Dude! I
read Unravelling last week and I genuinely thought that that was going to be my
top book of 2012. No contest. Then My Life Next Door arrived on my doorstep
and, well…..move over Unravelling! (Which I still highly recommend!).
This book
is amazing. I just loved it. I felt like making up a whole new rating system because I felt it deserved a million out of ten. It's that good.
Our protagonist is Samantha, who is a seventeen year old
perfectionist-perfect hair, perfect grades, and a perfect senator mother. Who doesn't really pay all that much attention to her perfect, wonderful daughter...unless she steps out of line. Next
door to Samantha live the Garretts, who are loud, messy and boisterous.
Samantha is fascinated by this loving family-and when Jace Garrett climbs up
her trellis one night, her whole world is changed utterly. Samantha feels
properly loved for the first time in her life-but then something terrible
happens, and Samantha worries that she might have lost her fleeting happiness
forever.
Things I
loved about this book: Jace. Perfect, sexy Jace....sigh. Next thing: Jace’s little brother George,
who is four and worries about everything. I just wanted to eat him up. And the
baby, Patsy, whose first word was ‘boob’. Bless! I also liked the fact that
Samantha knows she has it good. Her Mum might be completely self absorbed and
disinterested, but she provides her daughter with a nice life and a comfortable
home. I’m always annoyed by protagonists who are whiny when they have nothing
to whine about, you know?
This is
also a proper romance; it’s lovely. The relationship between Samantha and Jace
is sweet and relatable and real. It made me pine for the sexy neighbour I’ve
never had (sniff. Cry).
Rating: Ten
out of Ten.
Get. Read.
Now.
