Endless Summer [aka The Boys Next Door]

2015 Reading Challenge #34: A book with a love triangle.

¿Un romance tierno en donde el peor de los problemas es que el chico que te gusta no se fija en ti?

Si hubiese leído esto cuando tenía 15 años, probablemente me hubiese encantado. El problema es que ya no tengo 15 años y mi tolerancia a la estupidez es mucho menor. Y este libro tiene muchas estupideces, cortesía de Lori aka la protagonista.

Estupidez #1: Me trata mal porque me ama.

Desde el principio es evidente que Sean es un idiota, pero Lori está tan obsesionada con él que toma sus maltratos verbales como muestras de amor.

"He must have mentioned it because he was trying to hurt me. And if he’d tried to hurt me, he was in love with me and jealous of Adam."

Estupidez #2: Mi show more mamá lo eligió para mí.

Antes de morir, cuando Lori tenía 4 años, su madre un día vio a Sean y dijo:

"Just look at those eyes. He’s going to be a heartbreaker."

12 años después, Lori toma eso como una señal de que su madre lo eligió para ella.



Y no importa que Lori se de cuenta que realmente ama es a Adam y tampoco importa que se de cuenta que Sean es una basura persona, su mamá lo eligió para ella cuando tenía 4 años y ahora su mamá está muerta y debe honrar su memoria estando con él.



A pesar de todo eso voy a admitir que disfruté la lectura:
-La química entre Adam y Lori es bastante buena.
-Cuando Lori no está actuando patéticamente respecto a Sean, puede ser un poquito badass.
-Hay momentos divertidos. No del tipo riéndome-a-carcajadas, más bien como del tipo oh-eso-gracioso-supongo-que-sonreiré. Pero divertidos a fin de cuentas.
-Ese mini plot-twist en el último 5% definitivamente no me lo esperaba.

Además, tampoco era como si esperaba encontrar una historia acerca del significado de la vida (solo miren esa portada).

Recomendable sólo si quieres leer algo rápido y poco exigente emocional y mentalmente. show less

There is always the fear when reading a sequel to a book that ended as perfectly as The Boys Next Door that, in order to have conflict, the author is going to have to pull in craziness in order to keep the characters from living happily-ever-after. However, I trust Jennifer Echols implicitly, and, let's face it, I don't think she can do any wrong. This sequel is perfect in its simplicity. No, there aren’t any otherworldly creatures threatening to tear the newly-in-love couple apart, forcing them to pound their chests and bemoan their horrible timing for falling in love as the world is falling apart. Instead of dark forces and monsters keeping Lori and Adam apart, it’s parents. And I don’t know about you, but I actually know show more parents; otherworldly creatures, not so much.
Something new for this book is… wait, are you really ready for this? Because it’s huge. Brace yourself. Half the story is told by Adam. Yes, that’s right, we finally get inside his head. When it was only Lori telling the story, it was easy to stay caught up in her scheming. With Adam’s side of the story represented, we see how all her scheming affects him.
And yes, once again, Lori thinks that faux-dating someone will lead to the results she wants, even after Adam reminds her that she didn’t exactly get the desired results the last time she did that. Even though this can be a little frustrating – I just wanted Lori to listen to Adam and figure out something together – it was entertaining to see it play out. Not only does Adam have strong reactions to Lori’s plan, her brother does too, which made for some funny moments. But my favorite scenes in the story were the stolen moments when Adam and Lori found ways to be together away from the watchful eyes of their parents.
If you’ve read The Boys Next Door, you need to read this book. If you haven’t read The Boys Next Door, a) you’re crazy; b) do yourself a favor buy Endless Summer, because it includes The Boys Next Door and Endless Summer; c) do it now! I wish I could live inside this book, it’s that good. show less

I fell in love with Jennifer Echols’s writing when I read Going Too Far, so I was confident going in to this book that I would love it. Whereas the first book I read was considered a romantic drama, it had enough comedy in it that I figured a romantic comedy couldn’t miss. I was not disappointed.
Lori fits my ideal image of a perfect protagonist from the first page: witty, colorful, and energetic. I was continually amused by her running commentary as she tries to figure out how to be girly after years of being a tomboy. In all her interactions with those around her – from Adam to Mrs. Vader – her voice is consistently comical. Although it’s pretty obvious from the beginning which brother Lori should be with, I loved the way the show more story develops. The relationship between Adam and Sean is so tumultuous that it brings a whole new level of conflict to the standard love triangle saga.
What I loved most about this book was the group dynamic of the boys and Lori. I spent a lot of time during my teenage years hanging out with my brothers and his friends, and I found that Echols perfectly captures the dialogue, the horseplay, the teasing, and the competitive spirit that runs rampant in a circle like this. Every word and action rings true to my own experiences.
In my opinion, Jennifer Echols writes believable YA romance better than anyone I’ve ever read. Every single aspect of her stories is exactly right: three-dimensional characters, realistically witty dialogue, understandable conflicts, and connections built on more than lust. And the kissing scenes are perfection (FYI: this book can also be used as a fan to cool off after reading said scenes). Honestly, I cannot speak highly enough of her talent. As soon as I finished reading this book, I promptly ordered her other books I haven't read yet; I can't wait to get my hands on them! show less

Lori has always tried to be one of the guys with her older brother, McGillicuddy, and her next door neighbors Cameron, Sean, and Adam. Sweet and very ADD Adam has always been her best friend, but then again, Lori’s had a crush on the middle brother, Sean, the one that all the girls drool over. And this summer, the summer that she turns sixteen, she is determined to make Sean finally notice her. Begone, one-piece suits and cutoff boy shorts handed down from Adam—enter bikinis and revealing tank tops.

When Sean hooks up with Adam’s then-girlfriend, Rachel, Adam and Lori decide to put their plan in motion. They are going to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend in order to make their respective crushes jealous. But the longer they show more are “together,” the less it seems like just pretend. For the first time Lori is realizing how hot Adam really is, and how good his kisses are. But she’s just going along with this to win Sean…right?

The more I read Jennifer Echols, the more I’m convinced she can do no wrong in terms of fun and fast romantic comedy reads. All of the characters in this book are realistic yet quirky, endearing and fun. Adam, in particular, is my favorite, because he is not simply the perfect crush, the perfect boyfriend. Instead, he is wonderfully three-dimensional, ADD and a little spastic and a daredevil to the point of physical harm. In short, he is a giant, sweet nerd inside a hot body. Who can resist that?

Lori’s narration brings everything together; she is not merely a tomboy trying desperately to win her crush, but also a witty and cool one, despite her absolute cluelessness when it comes to the romantic feelings of those around her. All in all, however, THE BOYS NEXT DOOR was a delightful book that never pretends to be more than it is: a quick but lighthearted read about romance in the summertime. show less

Living with her father, an older brother, and the three Vader boys who live next door, Lori has grown up as one of the guys. Now that she’s about to turn 16, though, she’d like to be seen as more of a girl – particularly by Sean Vader, who is oh-so-hot and seems to flirt with every girl but her. In an attempt to get him to notice her, Lori comes up with a bold plan: she’ll convince Sean’s younger brother Adam to pretend to be her boyfriend, so that Sean will be jealous and realize his true feelings for her. But when Adam agrees to the plan, and their “fake” romantic trysts start to seem all too real, Lori finds that she may have gotten in over her head.

First things first: the plots of these two books are crazy! The first show more book is all about Lori’s plot to snare Sean, which involves a ridiculous amount of lying and manipulation. Then, in the second book, Lori and her guy (see how deftly I avoid the spoilers!) are forbidden to see each other, so they have to hatch brand-new plans, which result in yet more lying and manipulation. The characters constantly seem to misunderstand each other, and there is so much teen drama it’s insane! That said, I actually did enjoy these books. Echols is a good writer (see Going Too Far) and she makes the teen angst seem very entertaining. These novels aren’t earth-shattering literature, but they’re a fun way to pass the time. show less

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

This bind-up edition contains THE BOYS NEXT DOOR and its long-awaited sequel, ENDLESS SUMMER.

In THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, Lori will do anything to get Sean, one of the three brothers next door, to notice her. Lori's plan? To date Sean's twin brother, Adam, and get him JEALOUS! Wakeboarding moves, mixed emotions, and a few bryozoa later, Lori discovers that she might be pining for the wrong person!

(SPOILER ALERT! For those who have yet to read THE BOYS NEXT DOOR, do not read the following...)

ENDLESS SUMMER continues where we last left Lori and Adam. Lori has finally figured out that Adam is the right one for her ever since she was a little kid, literally, and that he always show more had a crush on her.

Happily together, their dating was bound to hit a rough patch, and that patch just happened to be Lori's dad. Although you can't blame him, as Lori and Adam accidentally fell asleep in Adam's truck. This incident not only caused Lori to miss her curfew but also gave her dad the chance to embed it in his mind that something else might have happened between the couple.

Unfortunately, countless of pleas and explanations only lead to Lori's dad forbidding her to see Adam. However, staying away from each other is not as easy as it sounds, especially since they work together. If Adam doesn't stay away from Lori though, it's off to military school.

With the right opportunity, Lori is given another chance to strike up a horrible plan - date guys way worse than Adam - so that her dad will see that Adam just isn't so bad. From bad boys to brothers, Lori is taking all the chances she can to get Adam back as her boyfriend, even if it ends up making Adam jealous. Will Lori's plan work, or will it just tear apart their relationship?

Told in alternate narrations, ENDLESS SUMMER does not disappoint. Lori and Adam will join the ranks of the greatest couples in history (including Ross & Rachel). The love they have for one another is just so palpable that readers will cheer them on in hopes that they end up together once again.

Jennifer Echols does a fantastic job writing through the minds of two teens (which is the scariest place to be). Lori continues to be that strong-willed character, with ideas that aren't the greatest, and Adam the loveable boy next door, who knew one day he would get the girl of his dreams. show less

This book is the pure essence of summer. Lori is a likable heroine and I loved the setting. A summer at the lake, wakeboarding, takes me back to my family's lake house. I dove into this book eagerly and was satisfied with what I found.