The Boy Next Door (Candy Apple #2)

Taryn and Jeff have been neighbors forever and theyve also been really good friends. It never occurred to them before about the whole girl vs. boy thing. Then they start the sixth grade and everything changes.

Theres one miscommunication after another and soon Taryn and Jeff are barely talking. Is it his fault? Her fault? What can be done to fix the situation? Can they still be friends, even though life is pulling them in different directions?

Told in both their voices in alternating chapters, we get to see the inside story from both points of view. We see that Jeff doesnt always mean things the way they come out and that Taryn isnt always as big of a drama queen as he thinks she is. They are both easy to root for since neither of them is the enemy instead, both are just kids in a situation that can seem all too familiar to any of us.

This is a cute book and the characters are fun and believable. It is a light read, though the issues are real enough. While I think even boys would enjoy reading it, it seems a bit more girl-focused (Jeffs chapters notwithstanding) due to the girly-girl pink and purple cover and the Candy Apple Book logo. So Id primarily recommend it for girls aged 9 and up.