Book Review- Lola and the Boy Next Door

I just finished reading Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins for an Around the World ARC Tour.

From Goodreads:

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.

Once again, this was another sweet teen love story by Stephanie Perkins.  But I'm not what I really want to say about this book.  I enjoyed it.  Yet I didn't race through it as quickly as I thought I would.  I liked that Lola was different and loved to dress up in her costumes, yet there was something about her that I didn't connect with.  Cricket seems like such a sweet guy, but he doesn't seem like one of those males characters that I'm sure I'd fall for if I was in the girls shoes. 

So I'm not really sure what I think.  When I think of the big picture, I think of this sweet, almost innocent love story, which I always enjoy reading.  But when I think back to when I was reading it, it was only okay.  Not that I disliked it at all, not even a little bit.  I think for some reason I was just expecting to be blown away and instead of being "wow"ed I was just pleased.  If that even makes any sense.  Yeah.  So either way, I enjoyed it.  :)

I gave this book a rating of 4/5.

Lola and the Boy Next Door will be released on September 29, 2011.

This book fulfills items in the following challenges:
2011 100+ Reading Challenge: 77
2011 ARC Reading Challenge: 61
2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge: 59
2011 YA Contemporary Challenge: 13

*FTC Disclosure: I was given this book for free for an honest review as part of the Around the World Tours.