My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

My Life Next Door:
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?

A transporting debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another.

My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick was in a word: extraordinary. This book was bursting with emotion and completely draws you into Samantha and Jase’s worlds. The powerful relationships formed between each of the characters will make you cry, shake your head in anger and sigh all within the span of a few pages. I honestly don’t think that there is a way for me to describe this book and my love for it accurately, plus there have been so many reviews before mine that will probably do a much better job. What I can say, is Huntley is an author that is now permanently on my TBR list, this was her debut novel and she completely blew contemporary YA out of the water.

Samantha, her sister and her mother are a quiet family with a seemingly perfect life. But what no one on the outside realizes is the controlling and emotionless way Samantha’s mother dictates to her daughters. When the large Garrett family moves in next door, they are noisy, messy and to be avoided. After years of watching them from afar, Samantha is drawn into their world when Jase one of the eldest brothers extends his friendship to Samantha. She is quickly embraced by the whole family and begins to truly understand what “family” really means. When an accident nearly takes Mr. Garretts life, Samantha learns the truth about what happened and fears she may lose Jase and the Garretts forever.