Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Summary: Budding designer Lola Nolan doesn’t believe in fashion . . . she believes in costume. The more expressive the outfit — more sparkly, more fun, more wild — the better. But even though Lola’s style is outrageous, she’s a devoted daughter and friend with some big plans for the future. And everything is pretty perfect (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the dreaded Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood.

When Cricket — a gifted inventor — steps out from his twin sister’s shadow and back into Lola’s life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door.

My Thoughts: I loved, loved, loved Anna and the French Kiss. LOVED it. As a result, I had very high expectations for Lola and the Boy Next Door. Unfortunately, I think they were impossibly high expectations. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed Lola – just not quite as much as I loved Anna. I think there was a bit less magic in it for me. But, still, it’s a great book and an awesome follow-up.

Yes, we see Anna – and St. Clair. They’re inseparable, which I’m sure is no surprise for anyone who’s read their story. I loved having them in the story, but it was kinda weird seeing them from someone else’s perspective. But, we get a better view of St. Clair and get to know him a bit better, which is always fun.

Lola is a sweet girl with an interest in fashion. She has a painful history with Cricket, and spends this book coming to terms with that. Reconciling the younger Cricket with the one who appears in the present. And Cricket is a great character. He’s fun, sweet, kind, and so many more good things. I was frustrated with Lola (a tiny bit), because I just couldn’t get how she could think Max was the one she loved. But, I did get her confusion and her indecision. She was just too selfish at times. While I don’t believe it’s intentional, I didn’t like her toying with Cricket the way she did.

I love Lola’s parents. They are definitely one of my favorite couple of parents in YA. Their characteristics were a nice balance of each other, and neither was all that stereotypical. It’s refreshing.

Overall, Lola and the Boy Next Door is a fun, sweet read. I did find, though, that it wasn’t quite as magical as Anna and the French Kiss. Still, I would recommend it to those who loved Anna. It’s definitely worth giving it a read.

Favorite Quotes: All below are from an ARC copy.

“Just because something isn’t practical doesn’t mean it’s not worth creating. Sometimes beauty and real-life magic are enough.” ~ page 227

I love this.

That’s the thing about depression. When I feel it deeply, I don’t want to let it go. It becomes a comfort. I want to cloak myself under its heavy weight and breathe it into my lungs. I want to nurture it, grow it, cultivate it. It’s mine. I want to check out with it, drift asleep wrapped in its arms and not wake up for a long, long time. ~ page 259

Having been there, I can so relate to this. And it’s so true. Stephanie Perkins said it better than I’d ever be able to on my own!

“There are some people in life that you can’t get over.” ~ page 306

So true. Some people stay with you forever.

Source: Received through Around The World Tours for review.

Read It: Get your own copy HERE. (This is a Book Depository link, and purchase through this link will result in my receiving a small commission at no cost to you. Your support is appreciated!)

Challenges: Counts for the 100 Books in a Year Reading Challenge and the 2nds Challenge (second book I read by Stephanie Perkins).

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FTC Disclosure: All items reviewed were either obtained by me for my own enjoyment or sent (from the author, publisher, publicist, via tour sites, etc.) in exchange for an honest review. I receive no monetary compensation for my posts. All opinions expressed are my own.

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