My Life Next Door

Title: Temptation
Publisher: Dial Books
Pub Date: June 14th 2012
Author: Huntley Fitzpatrick
Received From: NetGalley





A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

Samantha is a girl with it all, a wealthy family consisting of her, a politician mother and an older sister. Jase is the boy next door with a life as different from Sam's as you can imagine, he has seven siblings, attends public not private school and while chaotic, his life is happy. Although living next door for years when these two really meet life changes. Young love is often thought of as sweet, innocent and easy. If only easy existed for these two. Sam's mother turns up her nose at the entire Garrett family and Sam hides her relationship with Jase as it grows. But Sam and Jace have something real and Sam has gained some feeling of belonging in the walls of his home. 


But when Samantha's mother hit's Jase's father with her car and flees the scene before Sam realized it, things take a rough turn. Being a strong female lead Sam chooses to tell the truth, until the evil Clay, her mothers campaign worker and boyfriend blackmails her into ditching Jase and keeping the secret or risking even more hurt to his families business. It is a tough road to be on, making choices between right and wrong, family and love. One that every teenager faces in some small way. Samantha makes choices I am proud of and this rounds out this story in a solid way.