Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
338 pages
Published: 9/29/2011
Publisher: Dutton Books

From Good Reads:


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:


LOVED IT! This was even better than Anna and the French Kiss, which I also loved. Stephanie Perkins really has a knack for creating a character on paper who seems real. The premise behind this story is not original, but Lola makes the story unique. I loved her confidence and all her cool costumes. I also loved her insecurity and indecision that made her such as authentic character. Although this is a romantic girl falls for the boy next door book, it is also so much more. I found myself thinking of parental love and what makes good parents as I read about Lola's Dads and all their rules. I thought of sibling love and how important the sibling bond can be as I read about Calliope and Cricket's relationship. The book also made me think about forgiveness and how important it to be accepting and tolerant of the people in your life as I read about Lola's birth mother, Nora. This simple story has many, fun, layers. 

I read Anna and the Boy Next Door in one sitting into the wee hours of the morning and I just did the same thing with Lola. These books consumed me and I did not want to put them down until I reached the end. It was also fun to read about characters from Anna and the French Kiss  (Anna and St Claire) in Lola and the Boy Next Door. 

A five star review for me! I anxiously await Stephanie Perkins next book!