When Samantha Reed, daughter of the local state senator, meets Jase Garrett, everything changes. Having spent most of her life watching the Garretts from the balcony outside her window and wishing she was part of their loud and affectionate family, Samantha suddenly finds herself living what she has only dreamt of.
As her relationship with Jase develops further, Samantha finds herself having to deal with keeping the romance a secret from her mother, who disapproves thoroughly of the Garretts and their large family, in addition to coping with the change brought about by the appearance of Clay Tucker, her mother’s new boyfriend, who also happens to be helping her with her political campaign.
Then something awful happens, which causes Samantha to question where her loyalty really lies, and whether she can continue her relationship with Jase. ‘My Life Next Door’ is an honest, funny and heartwarming account of teenage romance, charting both the cinematic highs of being in a relationship, as well as the heart-wrenching moments of despair.
Fitzpatrick manages to create a realistic portrayal of being a teenager in love, whilst retaining a certain magic to her storytelling. The sincere and realistic tone, which doesn’t shy away from the often embarrassing details of teen hood, ensured that the reader lives each moment with Samantha, experiencing the moments of delight as well as despair.
Each character, even down to Jase’s baby sister Patsy, is described with empathy and insight, ensuring that the realistic nature of the story is carried on throughout, and allows the reader to be fully drawn in to the plot.
I really enjoyed the book, and found myself able to really relate to the characters. Fitzpatrick’s honesty and humour showed throughout, and the only thing which I found slightly disappointing was that the point of conflict came a bit late in the book, so it felt that the end came too quickly - however, that just gave me an excuse to reread it! I would highly recommend it as a must read for anyone over 14 who wants a light read that still manages to discuss potentially difficult topics.
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