My edition: Paperback, published in 2011 by Dutton, 338 pages.Description: 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
Rating:
While the ending to Lola and the Boy Next Door is awfully predictable (hint: have a look at the title of the book) the journey the reader has to take to get there is a very entertaining one.
Though I do have to say that author Stephanie Perkins made "bad boy" Max far too likeable and as such his change in personality throughout the story seemed to be solely there to make place for "the boy next door" Cricket as the new perfect boyfriend.
Thankfully there were plenty of other obstacles Lola's life to divert attention from this; including storylines regarin ding her biological mother, her two gay dads, the best friend she watches Pushing Daisies and Alias with and the girl next door, figure skating champion Calliope.
Lola herself is a very interesting character too. While initially I thought Perkins was trying too hard to make Lola different to her peers by describing the elaborate and colourful array of outfits, accessories and wigs that she dresses up in, this actually becomes quite an interesting storyline in itself and it helps define the character in the end.
It was also nice to see a fair few references to Anna and St. Clair. It makes me eager to check out Perkins's previous novel, Anna and the French Kiss.
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