The Boy Next Door: A feel-good novel of romance and laughter

Tina und Tini #2

by Cathy Woodman

When childhood sweethearts are reunited, will the same sparks fly?

Cathy Woodman's The Boy Next Door is a funny and poignant story of how love can blossom when you least expect it. The perfect read for fans of Jo Thomas and Trisha Ashley.

'Cathy Woodman is a real find' - Jill Mansell

Terri Mills is going home to London. With only a battered mini and a bankruptcy order to show for her life in Devon, she's not feeling particularly proud of herself. At least her nine-year-old daughter Sasha sees their trip as an adventure. Terri's Gran is keen to lend a hand, and she's already found Terri a flat and a job, for which Terri's eternally grateful. If only the job wasn't at the local flower shop.

Growing up, Terri had two flowers, and the boy next door. Martin Blake, son of florists Val and George, was gorgeous. What's more, he was all hers - until her parents upped and moved to Devon and she never heard from him again. Now she's about to walk into his florist's - and straight back into her past...

What readers are saying about The Boy Next Door :

' Funny, heart-warming and an absolute winner for me'

' Great plot , a lively and easy read '

'A charming, well-written story '

Genres: Childrens, Mystery, Fiction, Middle Grade, Chick Lit, Adventure

452 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1944

About the author

I began my working life as a small-animal vet. Like turning the pages in a book, I was never quite sure what was going to happen at the surgery next. From the sausage dog who swallowed a sewing needle to the telly addict of a rabbit who lost an eye to infection, there was never a dull moment.

I have always loved to read, escaping into all kinds of novels during those long nights on call, but I didn’t have much time to pursue writing until after my children were born and I gave up full-time work to look after them. I joined a creative writing group and entered all the writing competitions I could find.

My break into becoming a published author came in 2002 when I was joint winner of the Harry Bowling First Novel Award. At the award ceremony, I met Laura Longrigg of MBA Literary Agents who signed me up on delivery of a finished manuscript.

In April 2003, Laura rang to say that Headline were offering me a two book deal. I had to dial 1471 to check she really had called me and I wasn’t dreaming.

My first novel, Under The Bonnet, was published in November 2004. My second, Our House, was published in 2005, the third, Family Matters in 2006, and the fourth, The Boy Next Door in 2007.

Since then, I’ve been working on an exciting new project, a series of novels about The Otter House Vets, a fictional practice set in a quiet Devonshire market town. Trust Me, I’m a Vet, which will be published in paperback by Arrow Books in April 2010, closely followed by the second book in September 2010.

Since I last updated my website, my menagerie of animals has grown, much to my family’s delight. We now share our lives with two cats, three mad Border Terriers, two ponies and two pet rats which we found abandoned to starve in a cage in the woods nearby. You should have heard my husband’s sigh of resignation when I told him we were bringing them home!

Reviews

[Jen Pritchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favourite Enid Blyton book! It is packed with excitement and has the most glorious descriptions of Red Indian games, lapping waters against boats, tunnelling, tree climbing and picnics. A perfectly marvellous read every time.

[Hriday · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was one of my fave childhood reads, what with all the tunnelling, picnicking, and staying on hidden houseboats. An easy read but best read during the childhood years.

[Nigel · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of Enid Blyton's better books for slightly older readers (or in this case listeners - my 6yo daughter and 4yo son). A mildly exciting adventure in the style of the 'Famous Five' books - no magic or fairies, but plucky children thwarting bad guys!

[A.R. Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're in the mood for an Enid Blyton adventure, this one ought to do just fine. It contains many familiar elements, including a strong central relationship between the two plucky young lads at the heart of the adventure. Less pleasing aspects are also typical of Blyton's work, and in this case even more frequent than usual: continuity errors as Enid forgets what she wrote mere paragraphs ago; too much switching to the perspective of the (rather irritating) dog, and characters being unfathomably stupid in order to facilitate the plot.

[Catherine Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a Kindle edition. It's been a long time since I read it, and I enjoyed it

[Tim Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A standalone, this one, and very good it is too. I'm sure I read this as a kid, but couldn't remember anything beyond "There’s no boy here!" as Robin, Betty and Lucy make friends with the mysterious Boy Next Door and are plunged into an exciting adventure involving secret tunnels, midnight escapes, wicked uncles and a houseboat. The titular boy, Kit, is an American, (complete with "drawly voice"), which given that this was published in 1944 was perhaps a thank-you for the USA's welcome, if belated, entry into the war. Great fun.

[Catherine Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Saturday afternoon coffee break treat. Three children and a dog take on the mystery of the boy next door. Then they find an old houseboat on the river and decide to clean it up, then the owner arrives ! Typical Enid Blyton fun from start to finish.

[Ada Bhansali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes all I need is some old fashioned Blyton or Blume or even Beverly Cleary. This is just one of my favourite ones. I guess as we re older we can see the obvious sexist tones but nonetheless this is so funnn

[Kyle Young lai · Rating 5 out of 5]

A classic adventure book filled with magic to inspire any youth today.

[Ace · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was pretty good 😊

[Pete Littlewood · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite books as a child that I’m reading again some 20 years later!

[David Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love the Famous Five this is the book for you. A great read with an exciting plot and characters you care about. The book has Blyton's familiar tropes - three siblings, an exciting/exotic friend, a beloved dog, adventures under the noses of adults, tunnels, and water and boats. But it was written in 1944 in the middle of Enid Blyton's most creative time for writing adventure novels (starting with her first, The Secret Island, in 1938, and going through the 1940s, including the first FF book Five on a Treasure Island in 1942). So these familiar tropes are freshly inspired and written. Reading it was like discovering the FF for the first time!
The book is one of the handful of stand-alone (non-series) books from this period where you can see Blyton developing her take on the children's adventure genre, that will later become the 22 book FF series. Other such books worth a read are The Treasure Hunters (1940), The Secret of Cliff Castle (1942), Smuggler Ben (1942), and the Children of Kidilin. Highly recommended for FF fans.

[Aileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Single Mum Terri Mills is 39, is a Florist she is bankrupt and is
moving back to South London to start over again, she is feeling a bit
ashamed. Her Grandmother has got her a flat and a job working for the
Gorgeous Martin Blake (her childhood sweetheart and man who broke her
heart), working in his Flower shop, she hasn’t seen Martin for 20
years; he is married with 2 children. But can life ever run smoothly
Sasha wants to meet her father; Martin’s mum is interfering, and has
her old feelings for Martin returned?
I loved this book, it was very easy to read and follow, I would
definitely recommend.

[IsabellaC · Rating 3 out of 5]

I especially liked the part when the three kids made friends with the boy next door because it is very nice the boy next door doesn't have any friends.
My favourite character was the boy next door because it looked like he was very fun to play with when the kids came over to his house.
I recommend this kids younger than 11 or over, because even though it looks like it is for little children it is still a very good book.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was read to my sister and me, a chapter a night, when we were very young. I don't recall much of it now, except the feeling was one of delight and expectation. I do remember there was a boy who moved into the house next door to three children and they befriended him. They became great pals, going on adventures and finding an old houseboat they tried to fix up until they were interrupted.
I might have to reread the book some day.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this to my daughter, a few years ago, before she developed an aversion to stories about posh people. We both loved it. I didn't read this as a child, but Enid Blyton saved my life, pretty much, by introducing mystery and magic to it at an early age.

[Pippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only discovered Cathy Woodman this year but have read all the Talyton St George books and this one. There are no great plot surprises but I don’t expect them from this genre, a sweet and believable story that you hope happens for someone, even if it didn’t happen for you.

[Karen McLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Read

This is my first Cathy Woodman read outside the Taly St George series and I loved it. The storyline was good, the characters relatable and the detail that Cathy goes into you really get drawn in. I highly recommend it

[Juli Savage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good easy to read story

[Johara Almogbel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utterly enjoyable, as all Enid Blytons are.

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, heartwarming, an absolute winner for me. Like all the other Cathy Woodman books I've read, this one didn't disappoint.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An ok read, a bit predictable though.

[Qadar · Rating 5 out of 5]

1

[kaira · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was amazing. Kind of myterious.

[Aruna Sathish · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, a loving and heart warming tale from Cathy and does not disappoint me. No serious twists and turns but lots of hope, care and bonding.