The Boys Next Door (The Boys Next Door #1)

Reader reviewed by Lena

This book sealed the deal and locked me down as a Jennifer Echols fan. Who doesn't love an easy going romantic comedy? In my book, Jennifer Echols can do no wrong!

The Boys Next Door starts off the summer before Sean leaves for college. Lori has a secret crush on Sean and is determined to finally seal him in as her boyfriend. She exchanges her tomboy looks for a teeny weeny bikini and a pair of Steve Madden heels. Sean begins to take notice, and Lori believes she's making progress. Of course, when it comes to boys and relationships, it's easier said than done. A night of scandal turns things around and causes Lori to compete for Sean's affection. Lori creates this plan which involves Adam, Lori's friend and Sean's younger brother. The only thing is, the more time Lori spends with Adam, the more her feelings for him begin to grow. But is Adam interested in her as well or is he just sticking to the plan? And what about Sean?

I completely adored this book. It's too cute for words. I grew up around boys so I know what it's like to be the only girl and a tomboy. I honestly think a couple verbal "Awws" left my lips as I was reading this. I must admit, I googled some of the wakeboarding terms. I had no idea what they were! Do you know what a S bend is? Youtube it! Trust me. You'll be picturing Lori doing these killer moves, and it'll make The Boys Next door even more enjoyable. My only regret is not reading this during the summer. All I want to do now is go to the lake!

Of course, I wouldn't be me without mentioning a swoon worthy boy. It really is a rarity when I fall for a Beta, but Adam is just so adorable. I couldn't resist. He's the best friend-sweetheart guy that every girl dreams of finding. He's the Chandler to Lori's Monica. Sorry for my Friends reference, but I couldn't help it! Whenever he says "or what," it makes me want to jump in the book and hug him. He really is a cutie.

I recommend this to fans of Sarah Dessen and Elizabeth Scott. Just make sure you read it over the summer! If not, you'll be suffering from a case of the summer blues.

Reader reviewed by Steph Su

Lori has always tried to be one of
the guys with her older brother, McGillicuddy, and her next door neighbors
Cameron, Sean, and Adam. Sweet and very ADD Adam has always been her best
friend, but then again, Loris had a crush on the middle brother, Sean, the one
that all the girls drool over. And this summer, the summer that she turns
sixteen, she is determined to make Sean finally notice her. Begone, one-piece suits
and cutoff boy shorts handed down from Adamenter bikinis and revealing tank
tops.

When Sean hooks up with Adams
then-girlfriend, Rachel, Adam and Lori decide to put their plan in motion. They
are going to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend in order to make their
respective crushes jealous. But the longer they are together, the less it
seems like just pretend. For the first time Lori is realizing how hot Adam
really is, and how good his kisses are. But shes just going along with this to
win Sean&right?

The more I read Jennifer Echols,
the more Im convinced she can do no wrong in terms of fun and fast romantic
comedy reads. All of the characters in this book are realistic yet quirky,
endearing and fun. Adam, in particular, is my favorite, because he is not
simply the perfect crush, the perfect boyfriend. Instead, he is wonderfully
three-dimensional, ADD and a little spastic and a daredevil to the point of
physical harm. In short, he is a giant, sweet nerd inside a hot body. Who can
resist that?

Loris narration brings everything
together; she is not merely a tomboy trying desperately to win her crush, but
also a witty and cool one, despite her absolute cluelessness when it comes to
the romantic feelings of those around her. The last several dozen or so pages
felt the tiniest bit rushed: a million things needed to be resolved, but they
were resolved in ways that involved the introduction of more plot twists and
events.

All in all, however, THE BOYS NEXT
DOOR was a delightful book that never pretends to be more than it is: a quick
but lighthearted read about romance in the summertime.

Reader reviewed by Jennifer

Lori has had a crush on Sean for most of her life. This summer she is going to get him to ask her out. Then, when Sean is caught cheating with his younger brother Adam's girlfriend, Lori makes a new plan, but will it work?

I thought this was a very cute story. This would be a good book to read in the summer.

Reader reviewed by Bookluver-Carol

Cute, available, and one cabin over

Lori lives for summertime on the lake. She spends all season wakeboarding, swimming, and hanging with her friends -- including the two hotties in the house next door. With the Vader brothers, Lori's always been one of the guys.

But while Lori and the "baby" brother, Adam, are inseparable friends, she can't deny a secret crush on Sean, the older Vader boy. This year Sean's been paying Lori a lot of attention, and not in a brotherly way.

But just as Lori decides to prove to Sean she's girlfriend material, she realizes that her role as girl friend to Adam may be even more important. And by trying so hard for the perfect summer romance, she could be going way overboard....
There really wasn't that much character development but it was great to read. It was funny at times. Lori was a bit clueless on who liked her and who she really liked. I liked when she did crazy stuff to get Sean to notice her. If you're looking for a short, light, funny summer read I recommend this book.

Reader reviewed by abscae

Lori looks forward to her summers spent on the lake: it's just overall fun with all the activities she could do, and all the fun she has. Of course, there are the Vader boys next door, with Lori being best friends with Adam and Sean being older. She's always the best friend type until that summer though.

But suddenly, Sean's starting to pay attention to her, and Lori's got it stuck in her head that she wants to be his girlfriend. With all of her shenanigans, she forgets to be a friend to Adam, and soon enough she's wondering if maybe she took it too far. Is her friendship going to be saved?

Again, one of the better books of the series, and it caught my attention quite nicely. The writing was simple, not too superfluous, and I had a nice time reading it.