31 January 2014

Book Review: Lola and the Boy Next Door (Anna and the French Kiss, #2) by Stephanie Perkins

Format: Paperback
Publishers: Dutton
Published: 29th September 2011
Pages: 338
Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance
Main Characters: Lola, Cricket
Date Read: 23rd January - 28th January 2014
 
Rating Given:
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Blurb:
 
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.


I received this for my Birthday a couple of years ago and I have only now read it, I know I can't believe it took me this long either.

The cover is so cute and feels like it is Cricket and Lola. I do think that it might be a little cheesy but for the first time I don't care it's too cute for me not to like it.

I must admit for most part of this book I was rating it lower than what I have done as there was certain things that I didn't like but by the time I finished the book I loved it too much to not give it the full five out five that it deserves. It wasn't anything to do with the story it was more the character I had issues. The story was great and so sweet at times it did have some of that magic that Anna and the French Kiss had. The thing I loved the most was that you could see how both their feeling had progressed but there was times that did break my heart a little. Towards the end of the book I was so addicted to the book that I honestly didn't want to put it down and then when it did end I was sad as it had come to an end but it was a cute ending.

The characters I did like but it took a while for me to warm up to Lola. She did have a lot of selfish tendencies which made me dislike her a lot of the time she really did use Cricket even when she knew how he felt. I did end up liking her closer to the end as she seemed to see the error of her way and therefore she grew up and I started to like her a lot more than I did. I absolutely adored Cricket which I was surprised about as he was a good guy and I thought I liked the bad guy but it just goes to show good guys can win. He was always there for anyone who needed him even if it meant hurting himself and I loved hi all the more. I loved Lola's Dads they where so funny at times but they where also strict but I didn't mind because I completely agreed with them. I loved that we got to see Anna and Étienne they where so cute together and they where there for Lola when she didn't deserve it.

Overall a great story even if Lola annoyed me at the beginning I ended up liking her towards the end.