Lola and the Boy Next Door is a companion book to Anna and the French Kiss. Main characters from the latter book, Anna and Etienne, are friends of Lola's, but it's not necessary to have read their story before hers. This is a fun read that will appeal to any fan of a good romantic comedy. Lola lives with two dads, who have adopted her from a relative who had a substance abuse problem. Her biological mother comes back into the picture at one point, which causes problems, but also serves as a nice lesson in the value of family. Lola has an older boyfriend (he's twenty-two, she's seventeen) to whom she has lost her virginity, although this event was merely referenced, and other sexual activity is only vaguely referred to. When partying takes place, it is amongst those of legal age, and Lola is proud of the fact that she abstains. She engages in some semi-rebellious teen behavior like sneaking out and defying her parents' orders, and is grounded as a result. Her relationship with Cricket is a nice example of one that develops over time, and although she has strong feelings for him before she ends her first relationship, she shows great restraint and character by refusing to even kiss him until she is completely available emotionally. Budding fashionistas will enjoy the descriptions of both Lola's and Cricket's clothing, and will appreciate Lola's struggle to figure out how her fashion relates to her sense of self. There is some graphic language (f-ck, a-s), but it is used very infrequently.
