Lola and the Boy Next Door

Publisher: Penguin Group

Publish Date: already out

Version: e-book

Series: none

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.

Dolores Nolan aka Lola lives with her two dads, Nathan and Andy.  She has a boyfriend, Max, who is 22 and is in a rock band.  She believes that he is “the one.”  She is eccentric and loves to dress up.  It is rare that anyone ever sees the true Lola.  Every Sunday, Lola and Max endure brunch with her fathers, who dislike Max.  Then Lola’s world gets turned upside down when the Bell family moves back into the house next door.  They lived there before and things didn’t end well between Lola and Cricket, one of the twins.  Now, Cricket and his twin sister, Calliope, are back and this worries Lola.  Lola had a hard time forgetting Cricket and how he broke her heart and she is trying to not let that interfere with her relationship with Max.

Lola has a difficult time dealing with the fact that Cricket is back.  She has mixed feelings about this.  This boy was her first love.  Now he’s here, next door, with his bedroom window right next to hers.  Cricket is different now.  It had always been Calliope who had been in the spotlight with her ice skating and now he is doing things for himself.  This causes Lola to make difficult and questionable decisions, when she is forced to choose between Max and Cricket.

I had a hard time putting this book down.  It is not usually the type of book I like to read.  I loved the way that Perkins pulled you into this story.   I mean, the teen with the older boyfriend who was pining for the neighbor boy is not a new idea, but the way that it is told in Lola, is extraordinary.

• Cricket.  Even his name is charming.  He is a genuinely nice person.  I found that throughout the story, I was liking him even more.  I liked everything about him.  The way he dresses, how he writes notes on his hands.  Yes, he had some bad moments, but don't we all?
• Lola’s two fathers, Nathan and Andy.  I like how Perkins differentiates between the two personalities in this book.  They care about Lola and her well-being.  It is nice to see how they fit into Lola's world along with her birth mother.
• Lindsey.  Lola’s best friend.  She looks out for Lola when things aren’t going so well.  Anyone who says “shove it, fartbreath” is worth knowing.
• Étienne St. Clair or St. Clair, for short.  I like the way that he is devoted to Anna.  He follows her everywhere, but not in the annoying stalker-boyfriend kind of way.  In this book, he is a good friend to Lola and gives her good advice.

• Calliope Bell.  At first you get this horrible picture of the things that she used to do to Lola.  Calliope does change some in the book, but I still put her on my did not like list.  She is training for figure skating in the Olympics.  I like how Cricket described it as the "Calliope Show."
• Max.  He was 22, but he acted like he was 12.   Granted, he did go through everything that Lola’s fathers asked him to in regards to the Sunday brunches and other things, but his attitude toward everything was horrible.  He is in a rock band and that is how he met Lola. 

In this cover, you see a girl (Lola) and a boy (Cricket) sitting on a windowsill.  Lola is dressed in costume.  This is how she is described in the book.  Cricket is also dressed as he is described, with his dress pants.  In the background you can see a neighborhood of houses.  (This reminds me of the opening scenes from Full House.)  I think that this cover is appropriate for the book.  The only criticism that I have on the cover is the look on Lola’s face.  With her eyes open wide like that, it reminds me of a mannequin doll that you would see at the store or a robot.

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