Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

Title: Lola and the Boy Next Door
Author: Stephanie Perkins
Publisher: Dutton
Publication Date: September 29, 2011
Source: Bought

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.

Review: I'd heard that Lola and the Boy Next Door was even better than Anna and the French Kiss, a book that I was crazy about. All those people that said that were so right. Lola is perfect in every way.

Lola and Cricket stole my heart. Especially Cricket. Cricket was so inexperienced and so awkward, yet he was such a genius in many ways. Just the little things he did for Lola made be smile. Lola, Lola, Lola. How I loved your character. Even with your crazy outfits that I wouldn't dream of wearing in public (or in private) you made me care so much about you and Cricket. Everything you felt I felt, too. Perkins did a super job with her characters; they came to life.

I wasn't even going to mention some of the side characters but since they were so awesome I knew I had to! Lola's dad's were so cool. I loved their over-protectiveness and just everything about them. Lola's best friend was also adorable.

Anna and St. Clair were back! Two claps for that. Perkins Incorporated them into Lola in such a unique way. It was so surreal to see one of my favorite couples in another amazing book.

The San Francisco setting was so magical. I'm not overly familiar with the Castro district, though I have driven through there. But I am familiar with the Mission district. Lola gets her name from Dolores which is a Mission called Mission Dolores Mission. (Seriously, that's what the sign says.) I have a semi-awkward picture of me standing in front of it from awhile ago. But enough with that information.* All am saying is that it's so cool to have a book set in a place that you are familiar with. It makes it even more real.

Lola and the Boy Next Door absolutely charmed me. The setting, the imperfect, yet perfect, characters, and the cameo of Anna and St. Clair just made me fall head over heals in love with this book.

Rating:

*I aplogize if this review is a bit scatterbrained, I wrote it really late!