Review: Lola and The Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins

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 read this book straight after finishing Anna and the French kiss and I would really recommend doing it this way because you totally stay in the lovely bubble that is Stephanie Perkins's writing. This book was possibly even better than Anna and the French kiss because I just loved the characters of Lola and Cricket even more so than Anna and St Clair. However, I didn't think that the storyline of this novel was quite as compelling as the first on these companion books. 

The reason I loved Lola so much was because she was such a free spirit and so independent. I loved her fashion sense, her confidence and her sense of hope in the world. She didn't whine, she had gay dads and a mom who'd gone off the rails and she as coping just fine, getting on without a fuss. When she saw something she wanted, she went for it, even if that mean schlepping across town in a yellow raincoat when there was no rain! 

Cricket was as much of a gentlemen as I could've hoped for, a bit like Lola, he saw what he wanted and he went for it and I loved that about him too. He seemed to be really close to his family and also wanted to do whatever he could to help Lola-such a cute little character! The character of Max on the other hand really was the bad boy and somebody many readers, myself included, will love to hate! Lola's dads are awesome, if a little over protective and of course there is the hitch girl character which every YA novel needs in the mix. 

The setting of this novel is fabulous and totally made me want to go to San Francisco. The streets and houses are really well written and described and I am literally desperate to go and experience that for myself now. This is another novel where not an awful lot happens and has the classic boy meets girl formula but it's wonderful in its inoffensiveness! It will leave you with the same warm and fuzzy feeling that Anna and the French Kiss leaves you with and you will definitely want to be creating shakier outfits and booking yourself on the next flight to San Francisco!