Lola and the Boy Next Door

Summary: 

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:

I loved this book! I found it a great companion novel to Anna and the French Kiss. This book was definitely one of my favorites this summer! It was light, cute, and classic. It had some really romantic moments, some tough moments, and an all around satisfying ending. Stephanie Perkins generally does a really good job of making her characters endearing. This was no exception. Lola, the main character, is quirky and lovable. Cricket, the boy next door, is sweet, smart, and loyal. And my personal favorite, Lola's dads. They're really sweet and understanding of Lola and her issues. 

This book had an amazing romance factor. Cricket is really sweet he's there for Lola even when he knows he can't be with her, on account of her boyfriend. He's kind, and he's pretty in touch with his feminine side. Lola has a life that she's pretty happy with, so when Cricket comes back to town and stirs some things up, Lola has to face some of the things she didn't even remember were there. 

I really can't think of many things wrong with this book, but I will say that it was overall kind of predictable. There were plenty of moments that made the book interesting, but honestly, in my opinion it could have been more original.

Overall I would give this book 4.5 stars. It really was an entertaining book. In my book anything by Perkins is worth reading! I would recommend this book to anyone who's looking for a sweet and romantic novel this summer.