Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

TITLE: Lola and the Boy Next Door

AUTHOR: Stephanie Perkins

RATING: 4 STARS

PUBLISHED: September 2011 - Dutton

SERIES: Yes; Companion Series still in progress

• Anna and the French Kiss (December 2010)
• Lola and the Boy Next Door (September 2011)
• Isla and the Happily Ever After (Fall 2012) - REVIEW TO COME

Purchase on Amazon Kindle

"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 REVIEW:

Stephanie Perkins knows how to make me smile!! She has a gift for writing humorous stories with one-of-kind characters. After I read and loved Anna and the French Kiss, I knew I had to get my hands on Lola and the Boy Next Door! I bought Lola and the Boy Next Door the day it came out, and I absolutely loved it!

Was this novel adorable? Definitely. Was it predictable? Yeah. Did I love every freaking minute of it? Totally!

Stephanie Perkins does it again with Lola and the Boy Next Door. I will admit that I missed the poetry and the slang from Anna and the French Kiss, but I really loved the characters and their hobbies in Lola and the Boy Next Door. You have a costume designer, an inventor, a future detective and an ice skater. Plus, all of the characters had eccentric and unique personalities. Lola is quirky and hilarious. She is the definition of one of a kind. She often wears a wig and a costume, and she refuses to wear anything twice. Cricket, the boy next door, is also a funky dresser. He’s caring, lovable, energetic, a little awkward and kind of shy. Lindsey, Lola’s best friend, is very focused on her academic agenda and refuses to date in high school. She’s also obsessed with solving mysteries. Calliope was a little self-centered, but protective. We aren’t even going to talk about Max. We will ignore Max. The characters really made this novel.

Did I mention there are several guest appearances from Anna and Etienne St. Clair? Oh yes, they pop up a lot throughout Lola and the Boy Next Door, which was awesome!

I also loved Lola’s unconventional family. Her two dad’s Andy and Nathan are loving and protective parents. They fully support her uniqueness and they encourage her to be true to herself.

Not only was this novel remarkably cute, but there were also a lot of great messages throughout this novel, such as: finding yourself, staying true to yourself, discovering if someone is the one, and the importance of trust.

I gave Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins 4 STARS. This is an amazing story for young adults. It’s hilarious and romantic. I strongly recommend this novel for anyone in search of a great Chick-Lit.