November 2017 – Page 10 – Sincerely Karen Jo

A Short History of the Girl Next Door

Jared Reck

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5 ★ – Sweet, Hilarious and Painfully Gorgeous

PUBLISHED BY Knopf Books for Young Readers SEPTEMBER 26, 2017

GENRE(S) : YOUNG ADULT, CONTEMPORARY, ROMANCE

PAGES: HARDCOVER 272

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Synopsis

The unrequited love of the girl next door is the centerpiece of this fiercely funny, yet heart-breaking debut novel.

Fifteen-year-old Matt Wainwright is in turmoil. He can’t tell his lifelong best friend, Tabby, how he really feels about her; his promising basketball skills are being overshadowed by his attitude on the court, and the only place he feels normal is in English class, where he can express his inner thoughts in quirky poems and essays. Matt is desperately hoping that Tabby will reciprocate his feelings; but then Tabby starts dating Liam Branson, senior basketball star and all-around great guy. Losing Tabby to Branson is bad enough; but, as Matt soon discovers, he’s close to losing everything that matters most to him.

Review

A Short History of the Girl Next Door by Jared Reck is a hilarious, sweet, and heart-breaking story that hit me so hard I don’t know what to do with all these FEELS.

This book is SO AMAZING!! The emotional depth is wonderfully executed from beginning to end. The plot is interesting, heartfelt, and utterly beautiful. The writing is also painfully gorgeous and riveting. I should warn you now… be prepared with a box of tissue and maybe some of your favorite comfort food. I thought I knew just how the story would turn out, but Reck surprised me with the most achingly astounding plot twist. I actually went back and reread that one part just to make sure what happened really happened. And it did…and it shattered my heart and made me hurt so much… BUT I LOVED IT!

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The characters are absolutely fantastic — well-developed, realistic, and perfectly flawed. At first, I wasn’t quite sure I would like Matt, but by the end, he’s definitely stolen a big chunk of my heart. While he’s a bit awkward, sometimes frustrating, and quite angsty, Matt is also genuine, incredibly sweet, and adorable in every way. I really enjoyed seeing the story unfold through his eyes. His voice is so raw and relatable and my heart just broke for him. I loved Tabby! She’s such a wonderful character — caring, loyal, smart, and beautiful. Tabby also has this amazing lively personality that just makes everyone want to be near her. I could definitely see why Matt fell so hard for her. Even his family members, specially his little brother, Murray, love Tabby. Speaking of Murray, he is so cute and spunky and I just wanted to hug him. The other supporting characters are pretty awesome and adorable — Matt’s grandparents, his parents, his best friend, Tripp, and the wonderful teachers.

This book seriously wrecked me, but in a terribly wonderful way — painful to read, emotional all the way, and so incredibly full of heart. Matt’s unrequited love for Tabby made me feel so many emotions. It made me smile, laugh, and cry… then cry some more. (cue the waterworks!) I had to stop a few times to breathe and get myself together. My eyes hurt and swelled up from crying so much… but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. I loved spending time with Matt, his family, and Tabby, and yeah… I really miss them all.

A Short History of the Girl Next Door is a fantastic story full of heart, friendship, love, loss, and never-ending supply of nerds. It’s beautiful, funny, and sad, but so real in every way. Definitely recommend you pick this up if you’re in the mood for some epic FEELS.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks for reading and I hope you’ll add this heartwarming story to your TBR! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Week!

Sincerely Karen Jo

About the Author

Jared Reck lives in Hanover, Pennsylvania, with his wife and two daughters. He teaches 8th grade Language Arts, where he has been reading awesome books and writing alongside his students for the past twelve years. A SHORT HISTORY OF THE GIRL NEXT DOOR is his debut novel

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Love Against the Odds Boxset
Inger Iversen
Publication date: November 30th 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Against all odds, love prevails.

Love Against the Odds Volume one includes two previously published bestselling novels: Rogue in Love and Open Wounds. This volume features the men of Trent’s Body Shop each story is a standalone with a HEA.

Rogue in Love:

Ten years ago, Lex was forced to skip town, giving up everything he’d ever known. But even his time in solitude couldn’t keep away the memory of the girl he’d left behind. The girl who’d offered him her innocence, and her heart.

Thea had moved on from the boy who abandoned her. Good job, fiancé, comfortable life in New York … until everything is ripped away from her, leaving her to pick up the pieces alone.

When the care of an ailing loved one brings them back to Blackwater, Lex and Thea are confronted by the pains of the past. For Lex, that means helping to heal the broken-hearted woman he left behind. For Thea, it means refusing to let him see the gaping hole his absence created.

The old feelings still linger, but only they can decide to relight the sparks, no matter the secrets and heartaches that come with them.

Open Wounds:

If you could see your life from inception to your death, would you change things or would you let your death play out as fate intended?

Abel is in search of only two things. A stable job and a safe place to lay his head at night after a mistake that cost him eighteen months of his life. As if fate had plans made only for him, Abel is offered a complicated job, and a chance to redeem himself to his old boss, from an old friend. And then he meets her…

And soon, Abel finds himself adding another item to his list—Hope.

At only twenty-six, Hope has only ever slept with one man, and at her boss’s unsolicited advice, Hope plans to forget the abuse and degradation she suffered at her ex’s hand by seducing and bedding the next man she meets. Only, after Hope finds a promise of death at her doorstep, her plans are derailed and only chance at staying alive rests on the dedication of her new bodyguard and her own sheer will to live the life she deserves.

**Includes a bonus copy of Inevitable: Love and War.

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Author Bio:

Inger Iversen is the bestselling author of several novels including her New Adult Series, In the Dark: Running in the Dark, Sinners in the Dark, Confessions in the Dark, and coming soon, Absolution in the Dark. She is also the author of the bestselling Few Are Angels series, a paranormal romance told from the heroine’s perspective that builds in intensity and intrigue to a finale you won’t see coming. Heart pounding action mixed with heartwarming friendships and heartbreaking romance will leave you breathless and begging for more.

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