My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Cira | Allentown High School, Grade 11

Rating: ****

My Life Next Door follows Samantha’s summer romance when her long awaited boy-next-door-dreams finally come true. For Samantha’s whole life she has lived under the tight constraints of her mother’s strict household. Her mother is a perfectionist, constantly obsessing over order when she isn’t running her political career. One of her mother’s biggest pet peeves is the large, quirky family next door. The Garret’s next door, a family of eight, are loud, messy and all Samantha could ever wish for. After years of watching and dreaming about their family dynamic, Samantha finds herself suddenly thrown into the middle of it when she meets Jase Garrett. With his charming personality, it’s only a matter of time before the pair finds themselves falling for each other. But when something unexpected happens, Samatha’s morals and feelings are put to the test.

I loved My Life Next Door! As a sappy, hopeless romantic, the book was full of moments that had me swooning. Samantha and Garretts relationship is the epitome of any teenage romance, but also is full of quirks. The book features a variety of comedic characters and humor that made it even more enjoyable to read and connect with the characters. The book perfectly illustrates the value of family, and it’s impossible to not feel your heart swell at the Garrett family’s dynamic. But the most compelling aspect of the book for me was following the moral dilemma that Samantha faces, as I found myself learning from her experience. I recommend this book to anyone who is fan of romance or lighthearted, easy reads.