Huntley Fitzpatrick

*sigh* Where do I start with this review? I want to tell you guys ALL THE THINGS, but I'm afraid that I will spoil this book. And, believe you me, this is a book that can definitely be spoiled.

Without giving too much away, let me tell you that I really, really enjoyed reading this. I was promised by, well, everyone that I would fall all over myself in love with Jase. But I was skeptical. Because, well, I've heard this before. (Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C) I was beginning to think my show more swoon-meter was broken.

Rest assured, friends, IT'S NOT BROKEN!!

Jase has taken the #1 book boyfriend spot away from Etienne. That's right. You heard me.

He did everything right in this book. He was gentle and caring and considerate and understanding and swoony and soft and hard (giggle) all at once. He was amazing to Sam. Ah. May. Zing.

Okay, so that was really why I loved this book as much as I did. I loved Jase. I loved Jase's family. I loved Jase's relationship with Sam. I loved Jase's relationship with Tim. I loved how Jase was to all those people. The only complaint I could ever imagine anyone saying about him was that he was too perfect. To them, I say: pbbbbffffffffttttttttt

Another thing I enjoyed (sans spoilers) was Sam. This was told in 1st person POV, and it is so, so difficult to enjoy a book if you don't connect to the main character. Fortunately, I liked Sam for the entire thing. I understood her reasoning behind everything, and even at the point in the book where one may have issue with her, I didn't. I could see her point through the whole thing.

I will say, in as non-spoilery of a way as I can, that I didn't love everything about this book. The ending was too rushed, especially when I felt there were chunks of this book that could have been cut completely and we wouldn't have lost anything. It also felt a bit like there was a huge wind-up, and then it sort of fizzled. Lots of meandering toward the end, without a satisfactory or justified resolution for several characters. What I was missing in this book was growth. And remorse.

It's for those reasons that I can't give this the 5 star rating Jase is begging me to give. He is worth 10 stars alone. But as a book, this just didn't stack up to all my expectations. And that's why I'm knocking it down to 4 stars.

But just to be sure that doesn't sway you from reading, let me leave you with some Jase deliciousness:

His hands are rough and capable. So much about Jase Garrett seems like a man, not a boy.

***

"Put this back on now." I thrust his shirt at him.

"Okay. Why?"

"Just do it."

"Unbelievably distracted by my body, Samantha?"

"Yes."

He laughs. "Good. We're on the same page, then."

***

He pulls my lower lip gently with his teeth, then fits his mouth to mine. First so careful, and then so deep and deliberate, that I can't think of anything at all but his smooth back under my hands.

***

"But...I'm not like that. I want to go to college. I want to be good enough..." He pauses. "For you."

***

And the way he does look at me makes me feel absolutely beautiful.

"I can't look away," he whispers huskily.

Are you sold yet? Jaysus. Also, can I just say that the *ahem* intimate scenes in this book were FUCKING AMAZING? Good. Cause they were.

Go. Read. Swoon. show less

This is one of the best contemporaries I've ever read. Normally I like a dramatic plot, either paranormally driven or tragically driven. This plot, however, is mostly happy, and when I finished the novel, I was left with a content feeling. This is very much a feel-good book. There are ups and downs, and a dramatic build-up at the end that kept me on the edge of my seat, but overall, this novel just made me happy. I'd recommend My Life Next Door to anyone who wants to read a relaxing, show more feel-good summer story.

There are a lot of characters in My Life Next Door. Jase's family alone consists of eight children and two parents. Additionally, Samantha has a sister, a best friend, the best friend's brother, a mother, and the mother's boyfriend is integral to the plot as well. However, it wasn't hard to keep the characters straight because Fitzpatrick managed to create an insane amount of unique, well-developed characters. Each character has his or her own quirks and stands out. Furthermore, the characters are believable, flawed, and easy to relate to. I could understand everyone's motivations but Clay's (the mother's boyfriend). Also, Samantha, the narrator and leading character, grew so much throughout the course of the novel. She made plenty of mistakes along the way, but in the end, she was better for it. I found that I cared about her, her family, and her friends, and wanted the best for everyone.

Samantha is a likable character, and she tries very hard to do the right thing. From the outside looking in, it seems that she's had an easy life. In many ways she has, but people sometimes resent her and judge her harshly for this. Jase, however does not. Jase's family, the Garrett's are constantly struggling financially. He never seems to resent Samantha, though. He is the perfect love interest because he's caring, compassionate, and responsible. He's a hard worker and an all around good person. He does have his flaws, as everyone does, but they are few and far between. He really cares about Samantha and wants to do what's best for her. It's impossible not to root for them to overcome their obstacles and remain together.

The plot is interesting, but not intense. I never once got bored, but the first 70% of the book is just establishing Jase's and Samantha's relationship. Things are not rushed with them and there is no insta-love (thankfully). The relationship develops at a natural pace, and the reader gets to observe all of the milestones. Because of the relationship's pacing, it comes across as believable and healthy. Also, the focus on Sam and Jase's relationship allows the reader to see how Samantha changes because of Jase. When the suspenseful scene begins, it's almost impossible to believe. However, Samantha and Jase needed to be tested. It wouldn't have been much of a novel without a huge obstacle to overcome, right? Nevertheless, I was extremely worried about how things would turn out.

There is some swearing in the novel, and people do have sex (though the scenes are not graphic). Also, there is drug use and underage drinking done by some of the characters. However, the novel does not glamorize any of these things, and especially with the drug use, it shows how drugs and alcohol can ruin lives. The only reason I mentioned these things was to give you guys an idea of what to expect. I know everyone has different comfort levels when it comes to what they read. None of the stuff bothered me, but I'm pretty liberal. And as I said, nothing was glamorized, graphic, or trashy.

Overall, I'd recommend this book to pretty much anyone. My Life Next Door is one of those books that leaves you feeling content after you read it. The story is touching and the characters are well-developed. I read this book in one day, even though it's close to 400 pages long, and I wasn't bored once. If you want a fun summer read, then pick up My Life Next Door. You won't regret it. show less

Mi ha preso. È scritto in modo fresco e coinvolgente. Ho adorato la famiglia Garrett. I personaggi sono credibili. Non che siano tutti ben tratteggiati al 100%, il protagonista maschile per esempio è troppo bello per essere vero, mentre l'antagonista forse è un po' troppo malvagio (ma non irrealistico visto che parliamo di arramipcatori politici). Però tutto sommato non sono tagliati con l'accetta né manichei. Il finale secondo me è ottimo perché non risolve tutto. Sarebbe irreale. È show more una sorta di nuovo inizio. Pur essendo un libro chiaramente adolescenziale, l'ho trovato meno forzato di altri testi americani sugli stessi argomenti, anche da adulti. Qui l'autrice si capisce benissimo da che parte sta, ma non si schiera esplicitamente o con tirate moralistiche, anzi: trattando di tematiche a volte complesse, le sa rappresentare con più sfaccettature. Un ottimo quadro, un romanzo di lieve tono da moral suasion ma su premesse razionali. Finisco sottolineando come queste scrittrici americane per adolescenti abbiano la fissa per la guida in stato di ebbrezza. In questo caso direi trattato in modo decente. show less

Friendship, family, and love lie at the heart of Huntley Fitzpatrick's debut novel, My Life Next Door. Abandoned by their father when the girls were little, Samantha Reed, her sister, and her mother have forged a life of privilege thanks to her mother's trust fund. In spite of everything she has, Sam looks longingly upon their next-door neighbors, the Garretts - a rowdy, constantly-growing family the likes of which have been deemed unworthy of notice by Sam's mother. After years of watching show more them from afar, one of the infamous Garretts decides to take matters into his own hands, and a burgeoning relationship is born.

What makes My Life Next Door more than just another YA novel is the very real presence of the parents. Mr. and Mrs. Garrett take a very active role in each of their kids' lives, and the family flourishes as a result. Even Sam's mother, as distant and focused as she is on her political campaign, is not hidden in the background or an afterthought. This deviation from a normal YA plot device is as enlivening as it is encouraging. Finally, readers can get a feel for how truly wonderful functional families can be and not focus on how grown-up a teen is because his or her parents opt to live separate lives. The Garretts make for some of the most enjoyable scenes in the novel. They may be messy, loud, quirky, and seemingly poised to take over the world, they are also welcoming, warm, open, loving, and steadfast. This is how families should be represented.

Along a similar vein, Sam is relatively even-keeled and honest. She is the good girl - the one who has always followed directions. Exposure to the Garretts helps her to break out of her shell, but she does not rebel like she could, or probably should. Instead, she remains as serious and resolved as ever but is more able to vocalize her desires. Sam's coming-of-age story is less about the teen drama and more about her ability to handle the drama from outside forces. If only we all could have enjoyed such a relatively painless journey to adulthood.

While this is Ms. Fitzpatrick's debut novel, her writing is anything but novice. She uses some of the most gorgeous prose imaginable throughout My Life Next Door. From her exquisite descriptions of the Connecticut shoreline to the unique characters that make up the Garrett family, a reader is left with a crystal-clear knowledge of exactly what Ms. Fitzpatrick was trying to portray. While readers may want to question Sam's desire for something different when she seemingly grew up with everything, the writing prevents a reader from passing judgment on Sam, and more surprising, even later on her mother. This is not a trite novel about young love but rather a careful portrait of the choices one makes and their impact on others, one possible only through Ms. Fitzpatrick's outstanding writing.

Huntley Fitzpatrick's My Life Next Door is a gorgeous coming-of-age and love story that confirms what it means to be family. More importantly, it resets one's opinion on what it means to be considered successful. The Garretts are the type of family that everyone should be so lucky to have as neighbors and friends, let alone have as their very own. Sam and Jase's burgeoning relationship has an authenticity to it not normally seen in young adult relationships, very refreshing for readers of the young adult genre and very honest in its discussion of responsibilities and next steps. For once, the teens act less like drama kings and queens and more like the adults they are on the brink of becoming. My Life Next Door deserves to be savored and thoroughly enjoyed and is a perfect way to spend those lazy summer days. Readers everywhere deserve to fall in love with Sam and Jase and all of the Garretts.

Acknowledgments: Thank you to NetGalley and to Penguin Young Readers Group for my e-galley! show less