Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss, #2)

by Stephanie Perkins

In this companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss, two teens discover that true love may be closer than they think

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.

Reviewed by jeannamichel on

5 of 5 stars

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Lola is a fashionista and can never wear the same thing twice. Her boyfriend is a rocker-type and her dads will never approve of him. When Cricket, her childhood friend, moves back in next door, something that was dormant for a while flares up again and leaves Lola questioning.

I loved this book so much that even after finishing I go back and read my favorite parts over again. Perkins is the author of Anna and the French Kiss, one of my favorite-reads last year and so I expected so much from this novel. Lola and the Boy Next Door surpassed all my expectations and left me in awe.

Perkins has a way to bring real things to the page. In Anna and the French Kiss, she brought true friendship to each page and had it blossom into a gorgeous relationship. In this one, Stephanie Perkins left me stunned with her ability to bring a childhood friend to life. She has a gift.

I was a bit skeptical about the cover when I first opened the spine. I wasn’t too crazy about it. It was kind of boring and it did not give the enchanting quality of not showing the guy’s face like it had with Anna and the French Kiss. After reading the book, I found that it has so much more qualities. The star on Cricket’s hand symbolizes something huge in the book and makes me smile every time I look at it, as well as his collection of rubber bands and other bracelets on his other arm. Still, on the cover, Lola creeps me out with her wide-eyed stare.

The characters were fantastic. Perkins even had Anna and Étienne make a guest appearance in the novel. They helped Lola out and gave her advice. It was amazing how she incorporated that story into this one. Readers do not need to read Anna and the French Kiss to get the full experience of this book; this is just a companion novel to that one.

The plot captures the reader and refuses to let go. It is a wild ride of romance, comedy, and sadness. Lola may have undergone the worst break-up of all books. It showed how emotional and how realistic the break-up was. Perkins creates something that grabs hold and leaves a permanent mark on readers. You will not put this one down.

Lola and the Boy Next Door was a masterpiece that touches romantic souls. If you liked Anna and the French Kiss, then you will definitely love this one.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 19 January, 2012: Finished reading
  • 19 January, 2012: Reviewed