Lola and the Boy Next Door

Lola and the Boy Next Door
Stephanie Perkins
338 pages
Publisher: Dutton
Source: purchased
★★★★★

You can read the Goodreads summary here.

LOLA!  I couldn't put it off anymore and I had to start this book last night.  Anna and the French Kiss was probably the best book I read in 2011 and I was dying to read Perkins sophomore novel.  So I shoved the library holds and review requests aside and dove in.  And loved every second.

Lola lives with her two dads and attends Harvey Milk Memorial High School, dating her rock star boyfriend, all while creating new costumes and outfits to wear everyday with the goal of becoming a costume designer.  Suddenly the Bell twins, the bane of her childhood existence, move back in next door.

I knew that Anna and St.Clair from the first book were going to make a cameo, but I was surprised to see the way in which they did.  I thought it would be a passing moment and it wasn't.  I don't want to ruin it, but I was surprised and not necessarily in a good way.  They didn't seem like themselves to me.  It will be interesting to how the cameos work out in the third book.

Anyway, I loved Lola and the Boy Next Door.  Lola was such a unique character, but definitely realistic.  I didn't know a girl like this when I was in high school, but I know she existed out there, somewhere.  Max, on the other hand, Lola's rock star boyfriend, left a little something to be desired.  He was a really well-written character, don't get me wrong, but he was pretty loathable.  And then there's Cricket - the boy next door.  What an adorable guy.

I really enjoyed all the references in the book, references from everything from the LGBT movement (Harvey Milk HS!) to the book Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov.  Having read Lolita earlier this year, I was able to see a couple parallels.  Nothing too heavy, but the reference wasn't lost on me.

I can't wait to get my hands on Ilsa and the Happily Ever After!  I'm sure it's going to be just as amazing as Anna and Lola were, how can it not be?  If you haven't started this series yet, what the heck are you waiting for?  Seriously, go now!