For years, Samantha has watched the large family next door with a sense of fascination. All those kids! But they seem to be having a lot of fun, always into something--the exact opposite of her own family. Her mother, a state senator, doesn't look fondly upon the 10 Garretts next door (ironic, since she ran on a platform of "family first.") She thinks Samantha and her sister should associate with the right people in the right places, and the Garretts just aren't right.
But this summer, 17 year-old Samantha gets drawn into the Garretts family life, and she finds that she kind of likes it. Every member of the family is a character, and I especially loved little George and Patsy. It's Jase, however, to whom Samantha becomes drawn. And we love Jase. Confident, smart, and, of course, adorable, Jase falls for Samantha as well. Soon, Samantha is spending all her time with Jase and his family. Until a horrible accident changes everything.
There were so many things to love about this book. The relationship between Samantha and Jase is perhaps the first and most obvious, but certainly not the only one. Their transition from next door neighbors (who don't even know each other) to boyfriend/girlfriend is an appropriately complex journey. I could feel the tension building as I moved through the narrative, wanting things to move faster, but savoring the slow build. Jase's family may not be perfect, but it's not totally dysfunctional either, and I found myself wanting to escape next door with Samantha. The youngest Garretts are bright and funny, and it seems perfectly normal that they're as busy, not to mention smart, as everyone else.
To my great surprise, my favorite character may have been Tim, the brother of Samantha's best friend. Having known Tim since she was little, it was painful for Samantha to watch his descent into addiction. Yet Tim is sharp, even clever, and it turns out that he's the one who's there for Samantha when she needs someone. We watch Tim struggle to get his life together, wanting to hug and slap him at the same time, and I couldn't help but love his directness. In many ways, I rooted for Tim more than anyone.
It's Samantha's relationship with her mother, Grace, that requires the most contemplation. Grace has very definite ideas of what is right for her daughters. They're ramped up considerably when Grace decides to run for re-election and is influenced by a new, assertive, and equally charming campaign manager. Suddenly, nothing Samantha does is right. Grace seems to love her daughters, but she loves her career more. She doesn't know Samantha very well, and she doesn't particularly care to. Throughout the novel, I watched for signs that Grace would put her family first, wanting her character to develop over the course of the book and become a different person by the end.
I want to be part of the family next door!
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