The Boy Next Door

Name: The Boy Next Door

Author: Jo Ho

Published: March 13, 2017 by Jo Ho

Purchased: I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book

☆☆☆☆☆/5

Blurb: Kim isn’t happy.

Torn from her beloved boyfriend Chris and the picturesque coastal village she grew up in, her family have relocated to the tough, inner-city suburb of Austin, Illinois due to an unfortunate turn of events.

It’s the summer break before Kim starts college, but instead of spending it with Chris and their large group of friends, she finds herself isolated from everyone she knows and loves.

The day she starts to notice the strange boy next door, however, her life begins to change as she starts to worry about someone other than herself.

Can she unravel the many mysteries surrounding her new home before something terrible happens?

Review: Quick note, I absolutely love that the author referenced her other book Wanted, it was a pleasant surprise.

Honestly, I think the author wants to pull a fast one over on her readers and even if I’m wrong, I love that thought and I will continue to think that. Why do I think that, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you. That cover is beautiful and it makes me think of a romance and the blurb doesn’t help, it also makes me think of a romance. I was thrown for a loop when I started reading and I wasn’t getting a romance but it was a good thing.

It was a quick read but she managed o suck me into this story and connect me to the characters in a short amount of time. This is only the second book I’ve read by this author but I am very impressed with what she did here and how different it is from Wanted.

The little hints along the way, the notes, it all created an environment that was a little creepy and urgent with the boy next door.

There could have been a good bit of drama with the mean girls Kim met but I’m very glad that they were only passing background characters, leaving the plot to stay center stage.

I am very excited to see what else this author has in store; super, super excited for the Chase Ryder series books.

The cover is gorgeous, as I said, the writing captures the youth element and the pace is just perfect. I believe that this novella is a story that everyone of all ages can enjoy, young children up to adults, I would highly recommend.

Thank you for reading my review.