My Life Next Door

This book takes place in Samantha and Jase's neighborhood.  They are next door neighbors and spend time split between both houses (of course only at Samantha's house when her mother isn't home).  This takes place in the present time during the summer.  I know that it is summertime because they spend a lot of their time at the community pool.  Samantha also has a job there as a life guard.  In Samantha's free time she also loves to take Jase's siblings to the pool to give his mom a break.  Jase's mom is pretty busy taking care of all 6 children, sometimes it is good to have them off of her hands.

Samantha is sort of living a secret life next door.  Her mother has no clue that she talks to The Garrett family or even that she might like the boy next door.  She is busy with work and Samantha does a great job at hiding it without making herself seem suspicious.  Jase has no idea why Samantha hasn't introduced him to her mother but he isn't complaining.  She feels that she fits in more with the Garrett family than she does her own.  She feels like an outcast at home.  With her mothers new boyfriend, he changes the way her home has always felt (Ex. taking food off of Samantha's plate without asking).  Since her mother leaves so early in the morning and comes home so late Samantha has decided to spend most of her free time with Jase at The Garrett's house.  She realizes what a family should look like in comparison to her "family".  With no dad, a sister in college and a mom who works all the time, Samantha is happy that she found a group of people who are similar to her and accept her for who she is.  Not just her mother leaving notes to clean the family room because she was too busy last night to do it, but a real family who has fun with her.

I predict that the next step in this story would be to introduce Jase to Samantha's mom.  I do not think Samantha will willingly do such a thing, but rather an accidental incounter will happen.  I am scared how Samantha's mother will react to her new life, but I am interested in seeing what Samantha will do in response to her mothers reaction.