My Life Next Door - Book Review

Woot, another book review coming your way. This time it's about My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick. It is her debut novel and came out in 2012. There will be a sequel in 2015 (so EXCITED!).

Original Cover

Version I read (German)

Synopsis
"One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time."

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, messy, affectionate. And every day from her rooftop perch, Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them...until one summer evening Jase Garrett climbs up next to her and changes everything.

As the two fall fiercely for each other, stumbling through the awkwardness and awesomeness of first love, Jase's family embraces Samantha - even as she keeps him a secret from her own. Then something unthinkable happens, and the bottom drops out of Samantha's world. She's suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

Story

The story is very realistic but still delicate and cute which I think is what makes this novel so interesting. That is also what makes it stand out from all the other contemporary YA romance books. Also there is a good amount of tension and excitement and you'll want to keep reading until you're through.

Characters
What I enjoyed most about the book are the characters. They are all unique, very well developed and appear so real. Even the smaller ones are perfectly thought out and likable. Then I also loved how mature Jase and Sam are. By that I mean that they aren't just guided by feelings and hormones but they also think and reconsider.

Writing Style
The story is written in first person from Samanthas POV. This suited very well because we get Samanthas thoughts and comments on certain situations. A lot of them are sarcastic remarks which she would never say out loud but for us as readers they are hilarious. 

Overall Opinion
I rated the book 5 out of 5 stars because I just really enjoyed this book. It made me feel happy and the characters felt so real. Also the story is very touching and I liked that besides the romance between the main characters there was also focus on other themes like family and friendship. 

I would recommend the novel to people who enjoy teenage love stories. It is also a nice read for the summer or the beach when you're on vacation. Generally I think girls will enjoy this more than boys would.