TBR Pile Tuesday: Mini Review

This is a new feature where I finally get a chance to review those books that have been sitting on my bookshelves for far too long!

Published: September 29, 2011
Publisher: Dutton Books
Source: I borrowed this book from the library
Find the author: Goodreads || Website || Twitter: @naturallysteph
Buy: Amazon || B&N || The Book Depository

~ The Blurb ~
From Goodreads

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 Thoughts ~

Lola and the Boy Next Door is one of those books that I have wanted to get my hands on for well over a year now. After reading Anna and the French Kiss I had high expectations for a fun and breezy YA romance that was full of wit and humor. Lola and the Boy Next Door certainly did entertain me but it didn’t entirely live up to my expectations. While it was a fun and quick read I felt that it lacked some of the emotional “oomph” that I found in Anna… and I just couldn’t quite connect with the characters as much as I thought I would. 

Lola is one of those quirky and wild characters that you can’t help but instantly love. She was fun and gentle, but also a little naive and conflicted for my taste. I’m not sure why both Anna and Lola had to have the same love triangles. The idea of being emotionally unavailable but interested in someone else was certainly not new, and if I’m being honest felt a little tired. Perhaps that is why I can’t find myself falling in love with this series. I think the additional conflict and drama of the live triangle was unnecessary and really just takes something away from the new relationship building. Maybe it is my disdain for the love triangle that has me feeling this way, but for whatever reason I can’t stomach much more of it.

Love triangle aside, if you are looking for a fun and breezy YA contemporary romance with a healthy dose of humor and flair, than Lola and the Boy Next Door is definitely for you. While it didn’t wow me the way I hoped it would, I still quite enjoyed reading it.

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