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Garretts #2
The Boy Most Likely To
The romantic companion to My Life Next Door—great for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han. Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To find the liquor cabinet blindfolded, need a liver transplant, and drive his car into a house Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To . . . well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters. For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard. Told in Tim’s and Alice’s distinctive, disarming, entirely compelling voices, this novel is for readers of The Spectacular Now, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and Paper Towns.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 15, 2015
550 people are currently reading
30904 people want to read
About the author
Huntley Fitzpatrick
4 books5,809 followersHuntley Fitzpatrick grew up dreamy and distracted in coastal Connecticut. She flourished in a family of bookworms where everyone always had their nose in a book. She kept an exhaustively thorough journal which frightened her boyfriends but has proved very useful in her career as a writer. Her debut contemporary Romance, MY LIFE NEXT DOOR, was published in June of 2012 by Penguin-Dial for Young Readers. Now she laughs with and eavesdrops on her six children who provide her with perspective and material. She is represented by the amazing Christina Hogrebe of the Jane Rotrosen Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,850 reviews
December 11, 2015
3.5-4 stars
Where do I even start with this review? I have been waiting for Tim Mason’s book for years now, having first met and fell in love with him in My Life Next Door. Reckless, charming, charismatic, down on his luck, red-headed Tim Mason. His was a happy ending I wanted more than anything. I definitely built up in my head how I imagined this would go, which is probably where things went wrong. While my rating is a positive one, when I think about The Boy Most Likely To there’s a hole there waiting be filled with my expectations.
What I wanted: A summertime romance, light and lovely and swoony with just the right amount of heartbreak.
What I got: A story full of complications and heartache, subplots I wasn’t expecting, a romance that was barely felt until more than halfway through the book.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but while reading I just kept thinking this is not the romance story I envisioned for Tim, which caused some frustration. Like we got of Sam and Jase in My Life Next Door, I wanted more of a focus on Tim and Alice’s relationship. I wanted the swoons to be out in full force. Did I still love Tim and Alice together? Absolutely. He’s a bit of mess – an AA member, kicked out of school and his parents’ house – but he’s trying to pick up the pieces and start over. Tim may not have his life figured out, but he’s a genuine guy, warm and funny and someone you want to be around. Alice is his opposite, a control freak with a heavy load of responsibly on her shoulders. At first she sees Tim as just another person in her life she has to take care of, but there’s attraction there and eventually their relationship takes a much different shape. It moves slowly, and I would have liked many more scenes of them together, but what we do get is toe-curling. Huntley Fitzpatrick knows her way around delicious kisses, and once again she gives us a memorable “first time” that is so beautifully written. Tim and Alice have a few ups and downs throughout the story as they deal with their own personal issues, but I did like their growing friendship and chemistry.
Like I said though, the book has its hand in many different cookie jars. As we’ve come to expect from Huntely’s books, the theme of family is very much present. It was great being back with the Garretts and seeing this big family with an even bigger heart stick together through everything. The kids are also pretty stinkin’ adorable. But even they get waylaid by other characters and subplots I didn’t care for, like Alice’s ex-boyfriend and what I’ll refer to as Tim’s situation. I have to be vague to avoid spoilers, but I wasn’t all that crazy about the catalyst for Tim’s growth. I loved his incredibly sincere and sympathetic voice and I loved seeing such an easy-to-love guy become a better person, but that story line didn’t always ring true for me. It was also hard to enjoy it when I wanted the focus to be on other ones.
Maybe it wasn't quite fair of me to have expected My Life Next Door 2.0, but that’s the story I wanted and letting go of that wasn’t easy. Like all of Huntely’s couples, I believe in Tim and Alice’s love story wholeheartedly, I just wanted more of it. I think this is a book that definitely deserves a re-read; maybe now that I know what to expect I could better appreciate the story for what it is. All-in-all The Boy Most Likely To is still one of the better young adult contemporaries out there. I’ll be glad to have Tim’s cover right next to Jase’s on my bookshelf.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
Where do I even start with this review? I have been waiting for Tim Mason’s book for years now, having first met and fell in love with him in My Life Next Door. Reckless, charming, charismatic, down on his luck, red-headed Tim Mason. His was a happy ending I wanted more than anything. I definitely built up in my head how I imagined this would go, which is probably where things went wrong. While my rating is a positive one, when I think about The Boy Most Likely To there’s a hole there waiting be filled with my expectations.
What I wanted: A summertime romance, light and lovely and swoony with just the right amount of heartbreak.
What I got: A story full of complications and heartache, subplots I wasn’t expecting, a romance that was barely felt until more than halfway through the book.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but while reading I just kept thinking this is not the romance story I envisioned for Tim, which caused some frustration. Like we got of Sam and Jase in My Life Next Door, I wanted more of a focus on Tim and Alice’s relationship. I wanted the swoons to be out in full force. Did I still love Tim and Alice together? Absolutely. He’s a bit of mess – an AA member, kicked out of school and his parents’ house – but he’s trying to pick up the pieces and start over. Tim may not have his life figured out, but he’s a genuine guy, warm and funny and someone you want to be around. Alice is his opposite, a control freak with a heavy load of responsibly on her shoulders. At first she sees Tim as just another person in her life she has to take care of, but there’s attraction there and eventually their relationship takes a much different shape. It moves slowly, and I would have liked many more scenes of them together, but what we do get is toe-curling. Huntley Fitzpatrick knows her way around delicious kisses, and once again she gives us a memorable “first time” that is so beautifully written. Tim and Alice have a few ups and downs throughout the story as they deal with their own personal issues, but I did like their growing friendship and chemistry.
Like I said though, the book has its hand in many different cookie jars. As we’ve come to expect from Huntely’s books, the theme of family is very much present. It was great being back with the Garretts and seeing this big family with an even bigger heart stick together through everything. The kids are also pretty stinkin’ adorable. But even they get waylaid by other characters and subplots I didn’t care for, like Alice’s ex-boyfriend and what I’ll refer to as Tim’s situation. I have to be vague to avoid spoilers, but I wasn’t all that crazy about the catalyst for Tim’s growth. I loved his incredibly sincere and sympathetic voice and I loved seeing such an easy-to-love guy become a better person, but that story line didn’t always ring true for me. It was also hard to enjoy it when I wanted the focus to be on other ones.
Maybe it wasn't quite fair of me to have expected My Life Next Door 2.0, but that’s the story I wanted and letting go of that wasn’t easy. Like all of Huntely’s couples, I believe in Tim and Alice’s love story wholeheartedly, I just wanted more of it. I think this is a book that definitely deserves a re-read; maybe now that I know what to expect I could better appreciate the story for what it is. All-in-all The Boy Most Likely To is still one of the better young adult contemporaries out there. I’ll be glad to have Tim’s cover right next to Jase’s on my bookshelf.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
Want to read
August 3, 2015AUGUST IS SO FAR AWAY.
I'M IN LOVE WITH THE COVER.
I'M IN LOVE WITH THE COVER.
May 30, 2017
I waited for this book for what felt like forever, but then when it finally released, I waited another 2 years before reading it. I just knew I would love Tim in this book just based on what we got of him from My Life Next Door. The love story, I felt wasn't as epic as Jase and Sam's but it was still great. I think the issue was that I just couldn't really relate to Alice much. Her POV just lacked something. When I was reading her POV, it didn't really generate much emotion out of me. I almost wish the book was written entirely in Tim's POV. I really loved his character growth and just how he handled the situations he was faced with. I also really love the Garrett family. I wish there was another book just so I could get more of them.
******* Initial Reaction: Oct 22, 2013 *******
I think I just died and went to book heaven
So excited to find out that this is Tim's story and that Jase and Samantha will appear in it...but gosh, 2015 release date!?!?!
I mean...
June 2015 seems like forever and a day away!
******* Initial Reaction: Oct 22, 2013 *******
I think I just died and went to book heaven
So excited to find out that this is Tim's story and that Jase and Samantha will appear in it...but gosh, 2015 release date!?!?!
I mean...
June 2015 seems like forever and a day away!
December 30, 2015
I’ve been waiting almost three years for this book. Since the day I turned the last page in My Life Next Door I had to know more about Tim! I even mentioned it in my review! He was such a big part of MLND and his character was so charismatic I knew that there had to be more to his story. I can’t even tell you how excited I was when I found out that this was something that was going to happen in real life.
I’m not even sure how to review this book because there is so much that happens that I can’t tell you about without spoiling the journey. So let me first say this. Huntley Fitzpatrick does complicated families like no other. She creates incredibly layered characters that could be anyone in your family. She creates a beautiful story filled with bits of heartbreak, stolen moments, romance and unimaginable amounts of struggle but always, always filled with heart.
This is of course Tim’s story… but it’s also Alice’s story. Alice is Jase’s older sister. She’s got her whole life ahead of her yet, she takes on the problems of her parents and family as wholly her own. She has this intense desire to solve all the issues and be the solution to the problems that arise, only life is never that easy, because it involves giving up things she’s been planning for and even then there is no guarantee that the problems will go away.
Tim… you guys remember Tim. He uses humor as a defense and his self-deprecation is more than just making fun of himself. He’s hid behind drugs and alcohol for longer than one can imagine at the age of 17 and he’s come to realize with the help of his friends that there is more to life than getting so wasted you can’t remember things. But with that realization comes the responsibilities that he’d been avoiding for all those years and the things he’s screwed up along the way. I can’t tell you how many times I wish he were real so I could pull him close and squeeze him tight, even if he wouldn’t let me because you honestly have to love his outlook on life.
She moves closer; smells like I’ve always thought Hawaii would, green and sweet, earthy, sun and sea mixed together, smoky warm. Her greenish gray eyes, flecks of gold too –
“You’ve only got one dimple,” she says.
“That a drawback? I had two, but I misplaced one on a particularly hard night.”
She gives my shoulder a shove. “You joke about everything.”
“Everything is pretty funny,” I say, trying to sit up but sinking back, my back groaning. “If you look at it the right way.”
“How do you know you’re looking at it the right way?”
Alice’s head’s lowered, she’s still circling an index finger in the sand, only inches from brushing her knuckles past my stomach. The morning air is still and calm – no sound of the waves, even.
“If it's funny,” I wheeze, “you’re looking at it the right way.”
Tim is a born flirt and Alice, well she doesn’t really put up with his shit … which oddly enough makes them perfect for each other and seeing the evolution of their relationship, the sweet moments, the passionate moments and the trials and tribulations… because there are plenty of those was just everything I could have hoped for and more.
Ultimately this story is about family and knowing that it’s not always the family that we’re born into that has our back and will be there to support us through our mistakes, nor will it be the people we share DNA with that we come to lean on and find a home with.
I know that this seems somewhat vague, that’s intentional because there are some things that I can’t divulge. You’ll have to read to find out what those things are, and I promise you'll thank me for letting you experience it as Tim's story unfolds.
All that said, if there was one thing that I didn't really care for, it would be Brad’s story. Or his involvement… I don’t know how to say this without giving anything away, but I’ll just say that I feel like his part in this story felt unfinished and and not explored enough to ultimately have him be a part of this story.
BUT that is minor and not a huge part of what's going on and I honestly only noticed it when I turned the last page and realized where that left off.
Oh!! Also - glimpses of Jase *swoon* and Sam and the rest of the Garrets only make this story even more amazing! If you thought you loved George in My Life Next Door, be prepared for even more cute from him and the rest of the gang.
Grab this if you’re looking for an incredible story of life and love and finding family where you least expect it. Once again Fitzpatrick made me fall in love with her characters and the Garrett family in ways I never could have anticipated!
Thank you Huntley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
I’m not even sure how to review this book because there is so much that happens that I can’t tell you about without spoiling the journey. So let me first say this. Huntley Fitzpatrick does complicated families like no other. She creates incredibly layered characters that could be anyone in your family. She creates a beautiful story filled with bits of heartbreak, stolen moments, romance and unimaginable amounts of struggle but always, always filled with heart.
This is of course Tim’s story… but it’s also Alice’s story. Alice is Jase’s older sister. She’s got her whole life ahead of her yet, she takes on the problems of her parents and family as wholly her own. She has this intense desire to solve all the issues and be the solution to the problems that arise, only life is never that easy, because it involves giving up things she’s been planning for and even then there is no guarantee that the problems will go away.
Tim… you guys remember Tim. He uses humor as a defense and his self-deprecation is more than just making fun of himself. He’s hid behind drugs and alcohol for longer than one can imagine at the age of 17 and he’s come to realize with the help of his friends that there is more to life than getting so wasted you can’t remember things. But with that realization comes the responsibilities that he’d been avoiding for all those years and the things he’s screwed up along the way. I can’t tell you how many times I wish he were real so I could pull him close and squeeze him tight, even if he wouldn’t let me because you honestly have to love his outlook on life.
She moves closer; smells like I’ve always thought Hawaii would, green and sweet, earthy, sun and sea mixed together, smoky warm. Her greenish gray eyes, flecks of gold too –
“You’ve only got one dimple,” she says.
“That a drawback? I had two, but I misplaced one on a particularly hard night.”
She gives my shoulder a shove. “You joke about everything.”
“Everything is pretty funny,” I say, trying to sit up but sinking back, my back groaning. “If you look at it the right way.”
“How do you know you’re looking at it the right way?”
Alice’s head’s lowered, she’s still circling an index finger in the sand, only inches from brushing her knuckles past my stomach. The morning air is still and calm – no sound of the waves, even.
“If it's funny,” I wheeze, “you’re looking at it the right way.”
Tim is a born flirt and Alice, well she doesn’t really put up with his shit … which oddly enough makes them perfect for each other and seeing the evolution of their relationship, the sweet moments, the passionate moments and the trials and tribulations… because there are plenty of those was just everything I could have hoped for and more.
Ultimately this story is about family and knowing that it’s not always the family that we’re born into that has our back and will be there to support us through our mistakes, nor will it be the people we share DNA with that we come to lean on and find a home with.
I know that this seems somewhat vague, that’s intentional because there are some things that I can’t divulge. You’ll have to read to find out what those things are, and I promise you'll thank me for letting you experience it as Tim's story unfolds.
All that said, if there was one thing that I didn't really care for, it would be Brad’s story. Or his involvement… I don’t know how to say this without giving anything away, but I’ll just say that I feel like his part in this story felt unfinished and and not explored enough to ultimately have him be a part of this story.
BUT that is minor and not a huge part of what's going on and I honestly only noticed it when I turned the last page and realized where that left off.
Oh!! Also - glimpses of Jase *swoon* and Sam and the rest of the Garrets only make this story even more amazing! If you thought you loved George in My Life Next Door, be prepared for even more cute from him and the rest of the gang.
Grab this if you’re looking for an incredible story of life and love and finding family where you least expect it. Once again Fitzpatrick made me fall in love with her characters and the Garrett family in ways I never could have anticipated!
Thank you Huntley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!
August 25, 2015
Spoilers
Really disappointing. Predictable story, flat romance, and bland/insufferable main characters.
-Didn't feel any connection between Alice/Tim, their romance was so hollow and rushed.
Tim didn't give a damn about Alice, he was only ever concerned about his own problems/feelings and then at the end he was all about Cal (which was super boring). The only reason Tim seemed to even want Alice was because he found her hot and liked her family, I never got the sense he truly knew her or even cared for her, his feelings for her were so cold (well, except for when he was horny).
Alice on the other hand was desperate for sulky-attention-seeking-loser Tim despite having a million other problems to deal with. Their relationship wasn't interesting or believable, they had no passion or chemistry. Them exchanging I-love-you's after dating for all of five minutes was laughable, it came out of nowhere.
-I preferred Alice and Tim's relationship with their families than each other, it was far more interesting reading about their interactions with their parents/siblings than the flat romance they had going on.
-Didn't buy Alice wanting to be with Tim after the Cal reveal, she was already sick of being a second mother of sorts to her siblings, so her accepting Tim/Cal as a package didn't seem likely. Why would she want to be saddled with a teen boyfriend with alcohol problems and a newborn baby when she had so much going on in her own life?! I can't believe she didn't walk away from Tim's car crash life, her staying didn't fit with her personality or circumstances. And then Alice getting upset at the end when she found out Cal wasn't Tim's was even more nonsensical, in reality she would be relieved not to be stuck being a teen stepmother when she'd spent so much time resenting and stressing about playing mummy to her siblings.
-Really couldn't stand Tim, he caused all sorts of problems for himself and I didn't feel sorry for him one bit. He was a whiny, self-pitying brat.
I hated how lame and sleazy he was when it came to Alice, he was such an immature perv. Then there was him getting angry and bitchy whenever Alice or Hester deigned to say or do something he didn't like, he would snap at them and get all pissed over nothing. At times he sounded like a misogynistic prick, especially when it came to Hester's relationship with Cal, he was a total hypocrite. Also, him not getting a paternity test when he found about Calvin was beyond ridiculous, that should have been the first thing he did.
-This was all there was to Tim:
Oh no, I drink and do drugs and sleep around and flunk out of school and my parents are disappointed in me. Poor me, my life's so hard. No understands me, pity me.
Oh no, Hester just told me I'm the father of her baby. I don't even remember sleeping with her because I was apparently in a drunken stupor, but that's not suspicious at all. Oh well, I won't do a DNA test to confirm its mine because it has red hair and that means it has to be mine because no-one else in the world has red hair.
Oh no, Hester doesn't love baby Calvin like a mother should. It doesn't matter that she's a teenager and a first time mum or that I'm a crappy dad myself, I'm still going to judge her and act like she's awful. Poor me.
Oh no, Alice said/did something totally reasonable but I'm going to take it as an insult and call her out on it and make her feel guilty, that way she can look like she's done something wrong and I'll come out smelling like roses. Ugh.
-What the hell was Tim's problem with the name Calvin? He actually called it a 'pussy name' and then proceeded to call his son Cal instead. Ugh, he was an absolute idiot.
-Hated all the parts where Tim narrated Cal's 'thoughts', I guess it was meant to be cute or something but it was just cringey.
-I was so pissed at Tim inviting himself into the Garret house and eating all of their food when they barely had enough for themselves. He never stopped to think about their struggles, everything was about him. He was a selfish, entitled, greedy git.
-Hated Alice's parents for leaving her to deal with the kids and finances, I know Alice's dad was hurt and the mum was pregnant but they shouldn't have expected Alice to pick up the pieces and put so much pressure on her. Absolutely detested them for having so many kids when they could barely afford the ones they had, not only that they couldn't even look after them properly without getting the older teens to do the bulk of the work. Alice and Jase should have been getting on with their own lives, not constantly looking after their bratty siblings.
-I rolled my eyes at Alice saying she'd never climaxed before yet was able to the first time she and Tim got it on. Yea, I doubt Tim could be that good when he'd only ever had drunk sex before.
-The dialogue was really at bad times, it was so stilted and forced.
-I remember liking the Garretts and all the younger kids in the first book, but I found them annoying in this, especially George/Patsy and the parents.
Nowhere near as good as My life Next Door, Tim was an awful character and the whole Calvin arc was boring. The only thing I really enjoyed were the few Nan and Sam/Jase scenes.
Really disappointing. Predictable story, flat romance, and bland/insufferable main characters.
-Didn't feel any connection between Alice/Tim, their romance was so hollow and rushed.
Tim didn't give a damn about Alice, he was only ever concerned about his own problems/feelings and then at the end he was all about Cal (which was super boring). The only reason Tim seemed to even want Alice was because he found her hot and liked her family, I never got the sense he truly knew her or even cared for her, his feelings for her were so cold (well, except for when he was horny).
Alice on the other hand was desperate for sulky-attention-seeking-loser Tim despite having a million other problems to deal with. Their relationship wasn't interesting or believable, they had no passion or chemistry. Them exchanging I-love-you's after dating for all of five minutes was laughable, it came out of nowhere.
-I preferred Alice and Tim's relationship with their families than each other, it was far more interesting reading about their interactions with their parents/siblings than the flat romance they had going on.
-Didn't buy Alice wanting to be with Tim after the Cal reveal, she was already sick of being a second mother of sorts to her siblings, so her accepting Tim/Cal as a package didn't seem likely. Why would she want to be saddled with a teen boyfriend with alcohol problems and a newborn baby when she had so much going on in her own life?! I can't believe she didn't walk away from Tim's car crash life, her staying didn't fit with her personality or circumstances. And then Alice getting upset at the end when she found out Cal wasn't Tim's was even more nonsensical, in reality she would be relieved not to be stuck being a teen stepmother when she'd spent so much time resenting and stressing about playing mummy to her siblings.
-Really couldn't stand Tim, he caused all sorts of problems for himself and I didn't feel sorry for him one bit. He was a whiny, self-pitying brat.
I hated how lame and sleazy he was when it came to Alice, he was such an immature perv. Then there was him getting angry and bitchy whenever Alice or Hester deigned to say or do something he didn't like, he would snap at them and get all pissed over nothing. At times he sounded like a misogynistic prick, especially when it came to Hester's relationship with Cal, he was a total hypocrite. Also, him not getting a paternity test when he found about Calvin was beyond ridiculous, that should have been the first thing he did.
-This was all there was to Tim:
Oh no, I drink and do drugs and sleep around and flunk out of school and my parents are disappointed in me. Poor me, my life's so hard. No understands me, pity me.
Oh no, Hester just told me I'm the father of her baby. I don't even remember sleeping with her because I was apparently in a drunken stupor, but that's not suspicious at all. Oh well, I won't do a DNA test to confirm its mine because it has red hair and that means it has to be mine because no-one else in the world has red hair.
Oh no, Hester doesn't love baby Calvin like a mother should. It doesn't matter that she's a teenager and a first time mum or that I'm a crappy dad myself, I'm still going to judge her and act like she's awful. Poor me.
Oh no, Alice said/did something totally reasonable but I'm going to take it as an insult and call her out on it and make her feel guilty, that way she can look like she's done something wrong and I'll come out smelling like roses. Ugh.
-What the hell was Tim's problem with the name Calvin? He actually called it a 'pussy name' and then proceeded to call his son Cal instead. Ugh, he was an absolute idiot.
-Hated all the parts where Tim narrated Cal's 'thoughts', I guess it was meant to be cute or something but it was just cringey.
-I was so pissed at Tim inviting himself into the Garret house and eating all of their food when they barely had enough for themselves. He never stopped to think about their struggles, everything was about him. He was a selfish, entitled, greedy git.
-Hated Alice's parents for leaving her to deal with the kids and finances, I know Alice's dad was hurt and the mum was pregnant but they shouldn't have expected Alice to pick up the pieces and put so much pressure on her. Absolutely detested them for having so many kids when they could barely afford the ones they had, not only that they couldn't even look after them properly without getting the older teens to do the bulk of the work. Alice and Jase should have been getting on with their own lives, not constantly looking after their bratty siblings.
-I rolled my eyes at Alice saying she'd never climaxed before yet was able to the first time she and Tim got it on. Yea, I doubt Tim could be that good when he'd only ever had drunk sex before.
-The dialogue was really at bad times, it was so stilted and forced.
-I remember liking the Garretts and all the younger kids in the first book, but I found them annoying in this, especially George/Patsy and the parents.
Nowhere near as good as My life Next Door, Tim was an awful character and the whole Calvin arc was boring. The only thing I really enjoyed were the few Nan and Sam/Jase scenes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
July 4, 2015A SEEEEEEEEEEEEEQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEL!!!!
YEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
---Updated July 4, 2015---
Realized I've already waited almost two years to get a hold of this second installment. It seems just like yesterday since I've read the first one O.o
YEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
---Updated July 4, 2015---
Realized I've already waited almost two years to get a hold of this second installment. It seems just like yesterday since I've read the first one O.o
August 11, 2015
I was really excited about diving into the second installment of Huntley Fitzpatrick’s novel My Life Next Door. I remember that book being a perfect summer read that satisfied my YA contemporary craving that never ceases to wane. Unfortunately, The Boy Most Likely To didn’t quite hit the mark for me in so many subtle ways.
Having met Tim Mason and Alice Garrett in the first book, I was looking forward to seeing them get their own installment. I remember Jase’s best friend Tim being a hot mess that kept making mistake after mistake. Well, as the title indicates, he’s the boy most likely to not finish high school, get drunk night after night, and seriously disappoint his family because of his choices.
Alice is Jase’s older sister that seems to be struggling in a different sort of way. She's the backbone of her family that is keeping them afloat as their father recovers from an accident that left him badly injured. As she balances finishing nursing school, taking care of her siblings, running the household and helping with the family business, she knows that last thing she has time for is to fall for Tim that seems to be stumbling through life.
Together these two uncover an attraction and work toward finding a middle ground in the mess that is their life.
Well first off, let me share that it took me three LONG weeks to finish this book. It wasn’t quite what I had hoped for, and I had such a hard time connecting with these characters. I also had a difficult time picking up on the cadence of the dual narrative. I never seemed to find my stride and enjoy Alice and Tim’s journey. I didn’t have a difficult time with the age difference, but it would have been nice for Tim to at least be of legal age… that would have been an easier pill to swallow for some of the stuff that happened in this book.
If I had to pull anything positive from this book, I have to admit that I really liked the ending despite how long it took me to get there.
Overall, not quite what I was expecting for a summer, contemporary read. It seemed to have missed the mark for me in more ways than one.
Having met Tim Mason and Alice Garrett in the first book, I was looking forward to seeing them get their own installment. I remember Jase’s best friend Tim being a hot mess that kept making mistake after mistake. Well, as the title indicates, he’s the boy most likely to not finish high school, get drunk night after night, and seriously disappoint his family because of his choices.
Alice is Jase’s older sister that seems to be struggling in a different sort of way. She's the backbone of her family that is keeping them afloat as their father recovers from an accident that left him badly injured. As she balances finishing nursing school, taking care of her siblings, running the household and helping with the family business, she knows that last thing she has time for is to fall for Tim that seems to be stumbling through life.
Together these two uncover an attraction and work toward finding a middle ground in the mess that is their life.
Well first off, let me share that it took me three LONG weeks to finish this book. It wasn’t quite what I had hoped for, and I had such a hard time connecting with these characters. I also had a difficult time picking up on the cadence of the dual narrative. I never seemed to find my stride and enjoy Alice and Tim’s journey. I didn’t have a difficult time with the age difference, but it would have been nice for Tim to at least be of legal age… that would have been an easier pill to swallow for some of the stuff that happened in this book.
If I had to pull anything positive from this book, I have to admit that I really liked the ending despite how long it took me to get there.
Overall, not quite what I was expecting for a summer, contemporary read. It seemed to have missed the mark for me in more ways than one.
September 14, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Contemporary Fiction + Young Adult
Summary
The story picks up with Tim Mason, who is, for lack of a better term, a screw-up. He's made a lot of mistakes, flunked out of school, and has pretty much disappointed everyone in his family. When he moves into the Garretts’ garage apartment, it's his last shot to get his act together. The Garretts themselves are a huge, wonderfully chaotic family, and their presence seems to both overwhelm Tim and, at the same time, give him a much-needed sense of stability.
Then there's Alice Garrett, the oldest daughter, who has her own stuff going on. Her dad is recovering from an accident, so she's stepped up to basically run the whole household. It’s a lot to handle, and she’s still trying to figure out her own life. She’s tough, practical, and maybe a little prickly, which makes for a fascinating contrast with Tim’s charming but self-destructive ways.
Their relationship starts off pretty reluctantly, almost like they’re enemies at first, but it gradually becomes something more complicated and surprisingly sweet. Alice doesn't want anything to get in the way of her responsibilities, and Tim, well, he's just not sure he deserves someone as solid and capable as she is. Yet, they find a way to connect, and their chemistry really helps both of them grow.
The plot takes a pretty dramatic turn when Tim finds out one of his past flings might have left him with a baby he never knew about. Being a father is a big challenge that comes out of nowhere, especially when he is trying to show himself and everyone else that he is more than just the guy who is most likely to fail.
Characters
The characters have some depth, but I have to admit that they weren't always interesting. Tim feels a bit like the classic “bad boy trying to do better” archetype, and while his journey is compelling in spots, it leans on some clichés. Thanks to his vulnerability and desire to change, he became pretty likable. Alice, on the other hand, comes across as very strong and grounded, but she also seems so weighed down by her circumstances. Her no-nonsense attitude is pretty realistic, though sometimes she feels more like a caretaker than a character with her own full arc.
The Garrett family adds a lot of warmth and energy to the story. The reader may find their noisy, busy home a little too much at times, but it feels so real and heartfelt. The supporting characters can occasionally blend together, but they do a good job of creating a genuine family vibe that helps ground Tim and Alice’s individual journeys.
Writing Style
Tim and Alice are both written in the first person, and Huntley Fitzpatrick alternates between their points of view. The reason this dual narration works so well is that it allows you to enter both of their minds and truly comprehend their desires and fears. The writing is easy to read and sounds like a conversation. It has a classic YA romance feel, with drama, humor, and sad moments all mixed in. But there are times when the pacing seems a little slow because there is too much internal monologue.
Setting and Atmosphere
The book is set in a small New England town, with most of the action taking place right there at the Garretts’ busy house. Tim’s garage apartment is a good symbol for his attempt to start over, and the Garretts’ household represents this great mix of chaos, responsibility, and love. The setting feels intimate, maybe even a little claustrophobic sometimes, but it’s a perfect backdrop for a story that's all about family.
The book's atmosphere alternates between being cozy and being stressful. In addition to the emotional weight of Alice's overwhelming burdens and Tim's unexpected fatherhood, you get the cozy, messy comfort of a large family with all of their dinners and arguments. The tone perfectly conveys the pressures and rewards of being a teenager on the verge of adulthood.
Final Thoughts
The Boy Most Likely To definitely has its good moments—the realistic family dynamics, some genuinely emotional scenes, and a sweet, complex romance. But I think there are several problems, like the pacing and drama, which can sometimes feel a little too much. Many times I felt that some of the plot twists were a little forced, and Tim's character arc is interesting, but it seems to go on for a long time.
Alice's story is good, but it often gets lost in the shuffle of Tim's problems. All in all, it’s a decent YA read that manages to balance humor, romance, and some real-life challenges, though it doesn’t quite hit its full potential. I gave it 3 stars because it was an enjoyable read in some parts, but it's not one I'll probably remember a few years from now. I suppose readers who are really into family-focused YA romances with flawed but redeemable characters might find this worthwhile, but others might feel like it's a bit uneven.
The full review here:
https://constantinebooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-boy-most-likely-to.html
Genre: Contemporary Fiction + Young Adult
Summary
The story picks up with Tim Mason, who is, for lack of a better term, a screw-up. He's made a lot of mistakes, flunked out of school, and has pretty much disappointed everyone in his family. When he moves into the Garretts’ garage apartment, it's his last shot to get his act together. The Garretts themselves are a huge, wonderfully chaotic family, and their presence seems to both overwhelm Tim and, at the same time, give him a much-needed sense of stability.
Then there's Alice Garrett, the oldest daughter, who has her own stuff going on. Her dad is recovering from an accident, so she's stepped up to basically run the whole household. It’s a lot to handle, and she’s still trying to figure out her own life. She’s tough, practical, and maybe a little prickly, which makes for a fascinating contrast with Tim’s charming but self-destructive ways.
Their relationship starts off pretty reluctantly, almost like they’re enemies at first, but it gradually becomes something more complicated and surprisingly sweet. Alice doesn't want anything to get in the way of her responsibilities, and Tim, well, he's just not sure he deserves someone as solid and capable as she is. Yet, they find a way to connect, and their chemistry really helps both of them grow.
The plot takes a pretty dramatic turn when Tim finds out one of his past flings might have left him with a baby he never knew about. Being a father is a big challenge that comes out of nowhere, especially when he is trying to show himself and everyone else that he is more than just the guy who is most likely to fail.
Characters
The characters have some depth, but I have to admit that they weren't always interesting. Tim feels a bit like the classic “bad boy trying to do better” archetype, and while his journey is compelling in spots, it leans on some clichés. Thanks to his vulnerability and desire to change, he became pretty likable. Alice, on the other hand, comes across as very strong and grounded, but she also seems so weighed down by her circumstances. Her no-nonsense attitude is pretty realistic, though sometimes she feels more like a caretaker than a character with her own full arc.
The Garrett family adds a lot of warmth and energy to the story. The reader may find their noisy, busy home a little too much at times, but it feels so real and heartfelt. The supporting characters can occasionally blend together, but they do a good job of creating a genuine family vibe that helps ground Tim and Alice’s individual journeys.
Writing Style
Tim and Alice are both written in the first person, and Huntley Fitzpatrick alternates between their points of view. The reason this dual narration works so well is that it allows you to enter both of their minds and truly comprehend their desires and fears. The writing is easy to read and sounds like a conversation. It has a classic YA romance feel, with drama, humor, and sad moments all mixed in. But there are times when the pacing seems a little slow because there is too much internal monologue.
Setting and Atmosphere
The book is set in a small New England town, with most of the action taking place right there at the Garretts’ busy house. Tim’s garage apartment is a good symbol for his attempt to start over, and the Garretts’ household represents this great mix of chaos, responsibility, and love. The setting feels intimate, maybe even a little claustrophobic sometimes, but it’s a perfect backdrop for a story that's all about family.
The book's atmosphere alternates between being cozy and being stressful. In addition to the emotional weight of Alice's overwhelming burdens and Tim's unexpected fatherhood, you get the cozy, messy comfort of a large family with all of their dinners and arguments. The tone perfectly conveys the pressures and rewards of being a teenager on the verge of adulthood.
Final Thoughts
The Boy Most Likely To definitely has its good moments—the realistic family dynamics, some genuinely emotional scenes, and a sweet, complex romance. But I think there are several problems, like the pacing and drama, which can sometimes feel a little too much. Many times I felt that some of the plot twists were a little forced, and Tim's character arc is interesting, but it seems to go on for a long time.
Alice's story is good, but it often gets lost in the shuffle of Tim's problems. All in all, it’s a decent YA read that manages to balance humor, romance, and some real-life challenges, though it doesn’t quite hit its full potential. I gave it 3 stars because it was an enjoyable read in some parts, but it's not one I'll probably remember a few years from now. I suppose readers who are really into family-focused YA romances with flawed but redeemable characters might find this worthwhile, but others might feel like it's a bit uneven.
The full review here:
https://constantinebooks.blogspot.com/2025/09/the-boy-most-likely-to.html
tbr-not-owned
February 27, 2015Edit 2/27/2015
There's a cover!!! But... Hmm... It doesn't really fit the look of the first book. Not that it's not pretty, but both former Huntley books (
) had a distinctive look about them that this one doesn't have...
OMG THERE IS A SECOND BOOK!
NOW PLEASE!! *EEP*
There's a cover!!! But... Hmm... It doesn't really fit the look of the first book. Not that it's not pretty, but both former Huntley books (
) had a distinctive look about them that this one doesn't have... OMG THERE IS A SECOND BOOK!
NOW PLEASE!! *EEP*
Want to read
June 15, 2015OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!! A sequel?!?!?
Read
August 1, 2015So ... whoa! This book was not at all what I expected. I did like Boy Most Likely To, but it took me some time to shift my mental gears around and adjust to the loss of the story I thought I was getting and warm up to the one I got. I'll talk about the non-spoilery stuff and then hide the spoilers at the end. Don't read them unless you've read the book. I'm serious!!!!
First off, while Tim and Alice do have that fabulous odd couple chemistry going on (he's the recovering train wreck, she's the tightly-wound control freak) the Tim-Alice romance is really not the main focus of this book. Their relationship is so slow burn that ... is there a word for a notch below slow burn? Quiet simmer? That's what this felt like.
To be fair, both Tim and Alice are very distracted with ... stuff that I'll discuss later under spoiler protection. Their relationship is pretty much at a standstill for about two-thirds of the book. Things eventually do heat up between them but it does take a while. In theory, I think it's a good thing that Tim is getting himself together before getting together with Alice, but if you're expecting a super-swoony book, you won't get that until the very end.
The dual POV was a bit jarring to me -- a lot of switching back and forth, sometimes a few times within the same chapter. I was saved by the fact that each POV had a different font. I think MLND was all from Sam's POV and I think I might have preferred this from Tim's POV only.
Now to the elephant in the room: that New Thing That Tim Has to Deal With. Yes, it did help Tim's character growth, but overall I was really on the fence about this aspect of the story. I thought some of those scenes in that plotline were funny and touching, but the whole thing took the story in an unexpected direction. I also must add that it kept reminding me of a very similar plot
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. The storyline definitely wasn't what I expected but I'm always glad when a book can surprise me. I may re-read the two back to back now that I know what's to come.
First off, while Tim and Alice do have that fabulous odd couple chemistry going on (he's the recovering train wreck, she's the tightly-wound control freak) the Tim-Alice romance is really not the main focus of this book. Their relationship is so slow burn that ... is there a word for a notch below slow burn? Quiet simmer? That's what this felt like.
To be fair, both Tim and Alice are very distracted with ... stuff that I'll discuss later under spoiler protection. Their relationship is pretty much at a standstill for about two-thirds of the book. Things eventually do heat up between them but it does take a while. In theory, I think it's a good thing that Tim is getting himself together before getting together with Alice, but if you're expecting a super-swoony book, you won't get that until the very end.
The dual POV was a bit jarring to me -- a lot of switching back and forth, sometimes a few times within the same chapter. I was saved by the fact that each POV had a different font. I think MLND was all from Sam's POV and I think I might have preferred this from Tim's POV only.
Now to the elephant in the room: that New Thing That Tim Has to Deal With. Yes, it did help Tim's character growth, but overall I was really on the fence about this aspect of the story. I thought some of those scenes in that plotline were funny and touching, but the whole thing took the story in an unexpected direction. I also must add that it kept reminding me of a very similar plot
For the most part, I enjoyed this book. The storyline definitely wasn't what I expected but I'm always glad when a book can surprise me. I may re-read the two back to back now that I know what's to come.
September 24, 2015
Yep. That's exactly the way I'd react if Tim would be sitting opposite to me. If I were Brad and gay I'd prolly call him Timmyoyo. Timko. Timasaurous. Timato. Timbo. Blah blah. Annoying, eh?
This is Brad-mode, but I'll get to him later, 'cause first and foremost I'd like to thank Huntley Fitzpatrick for writeting this awesome book. Whoops, sorry, I mean writing. The Boy Most Likely to is about Tin-Alice and Recovering Alcoholic Tim, who fall hard for each other against all odds, falling despite of the train of siblings and responsibilities trailing behind Alice, despite Tim's past lurking right in front of him. The story isn't an ordinary one and that is what makes it special, the writing is extraordinary, the humour is real cool and the characters are filled with bruised-but-not-broken awesomeness!
When I read about Jase and Sam, I thought there couldn't be a sweeter teen couple, but man, I was wrong. I like Alice & Tim a lot more. I mean Alcoholic and Tim still managed to be Hot in a very unique way. Alice, Oh, Alice, I just love her! Then there's Hester, who takes annoying to a whole new universe!
But, alas, there were somethings that I disliked about this book.
(a) The story is predictable.
(b)
(c)
(d) The book is dragged.
Well, no biggie, still love the book. This one is worth a read.
May 17, 2022
the boy most likely to? more like...the girl most likely to...not remember anything about this book!
and that girl is me.
i know that wasn't funny, but actually it's okay for it not to be even slightly amusing or even soft-exhale-out-of-the-nose-inducing, because it's true. and that's more important.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago
and that girl is me.
i know that wasn't funny, but actually it's okay for it not to be even slightly amusing or even soft-exhale-out-of-the-nose-inducing, because it's true. and that's more important.
part of a series i'm doing in which i review books i read a long time ago
March 8, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Egmont Publishing and NetGalley.)
This was a YA contemporary story, with a little bit of romance.
I didn’t really care for the characters in this book, Alice was okay, Tim was a bit of a screw-up, but I didn’t feel anything else for them really.
The storyline in this was a bit of a let-down for me, we got a storyline about Tim facing an unexpected surprise, and Alice was having some money problems with her family, but there was very little happening on the romance front, and that was just disappointing for me.
The ending was again just okay, and I finished this book just feeling generally disappointed with it.
6 out of 10
“Just like you didn’t let on that I was more full of drugs than a Pfizer warehouse.”
This was a YA contemporary story, with a little bit of romance.
I didn’t really care for the characters in this book, Alice was okay, Tim was a bit of a screw-up, but I didn’t feel anything else for them really.
The storyline in this was a bit of a let-down for me, we got a storyline about Tim facing an unexpected surprise, and Alice was having some money problems with her family, but there was very little happening on the romance front, and that was just disappointing for me.
The ending was again just okay, and I finished this book just feeling generally disappointed with it.
6 out of 10
February 25, 2018
This book was just pretty meh to me. There were things I really liked and things I didn’t and it all kind of melded together into a just-okay book. I remember liking the boy next door a lot better, but it’s been a while since I read that! I was just on a contemporary kick and this was there so I went for it buuuuuuut I was kinda disappointed.
I do like the narrative of Tim stepping up to the plate when he’s told he is a father - he is a super dynamic character and I loved seeing him grow. Alice, however, fell a little flat for me. It felt like her story wasn’t as developed and I didn’t really know her as much as a character.
Overall an okay read but nothing amazing.
I do like the narrative of Tim stepping up to the plate when he’s told he is a father - he is a super dynamic character and I loved seeing him grow. Alice, however, fell a little flat for me. It felt like her story wasn’t as developed and I didn’t really know her as much as a character.
Overall an okay read but nothing amazing.
maybe-reads
September 4, 2016HOLY CRAP.
A SEQUEL!!!
A SEQUEL!!!
Want to read
September 15, 2013TIM AND ALICE
TIM AND ALICE!!!!!!!!!!!
(if it's not alice i'm just gonna cry)
TIM AND ALICE!!!!!!!!!!!
(if it's not alice i'm just gonna cry)
August 14, 2015
You know what's one of the worst feelings ever? Not loving a book that you've been waiting forever for from a favorite author. It's no secret that Huntley Fitzpatrick is an auto-buy author for me as she is for many other readers. Her debut book especially holds a special place on my book shelf. When I found out that she was going to revisit the Garretts and Tim from My Life Next Door, I was eager to get a copy of The Boy Most Likely To. I don't know if it was the high expectations, but The Boy Most Likely To wasn't as memorable for me as the author's previous books.
While this book is told in the dual POVs of Tim and Alice, Tim got the most page space. From book 1, we know that Tim was a boy who had a rather rough family life and that he was struggling with a lot. Being inside Tim's head wasn't always the easiest, to be honest and while I think Huntley Fitzpatrick did a lovely job at crafting the male POV with an authentic voice, I wasn't able to completely connect with his character. I think my main issue with this book was that Tim had all these problems in his life - alcoholism, shitty parents, strained sibling relationships, being kicked out of school - but I wasn't sure where they all stemmed from. I needed to get a good grasp of where all his emerging from and while we may be told briefly, I wasn't convinced by it. And then when the big twist came up, I was a little bit frustrated because everything seemed so excessive. The boy was already battling with so much, so to have yet another storm smack him in the face seemed just a bit too much. That being said, this twist did push Tim to finally grow up slowly over the course of the book but by the end, I still felt like Tim had much growing to do. I will admit that Tim could be very endearing when he showed his more lighthearted side, especially when it came to Patsy and Alice Garrett, but I'm sad that I didn't love him as much as I loved Jase. I felt similarly towards Alice. She didn't have that spark and energy that I found in Sam in My Life Next Door. I don't particularly have much to say about her because she wasn't memorable for me. I did, however, love seeing the Garretts again, especially George who continued to be the cutest boy ever.
The romance between Tim and Alice was very slow to develop, sometimes, excruciatingly slow. Part of me thought that the romance was a little bit lacking because I wanted to see more of Tim and Alice together. The moments we did have of them though were very sweet and I think if there had been more scenes I would have fallen for this couple just as much as I fell for Sam and Jase. Like I mentioned before, there was just so much going on in this book not only with Tim, but also with Alice having to deal with her dad's accident and her having to upend her entire life to take care of her siblings. It's clear that Huntley Fitzpatrick wanted to tackle all these themes in her book, but it made for a mess, in my opinion, with none of the themes well-fleshed out. This book had the potential to turn me into a blubbering sobbing mess, but because all of the issues were skimmed upon, they came across as weak and did not have that strong of an emotional punch as it could have had. I do think this could have been achieved if the focus had been on one or two themes and building up those themes to perfection. Even with the issues I had with The Boy Most Likely, I loved Huntley Fitzpatrick's writing, which is why I pushed through 432 pages of this book. While this may not have been her strongest book for me personally, I will continue to pick up anything that she writes because her writing is so lovely.
One of my recurring thoughts while I was reading The Boy Most Likely To was that it read a lot like an angsty New Adult book. So even though this was a bit of a disappointment for me, I appear to be a bit of a black sheep. I think if you are a reader that enjoys angst in their books together with more mature storylines, The Boy Most Likely To will work wonderfully for you.
August 18, 2015
This book has been on my Goodreads shelf for nearly two years! :O
My blog is the blog most likely to... come find out! And win a copy of The Boy Most Likely To while you're there! :D
Another giveaway! Come see what I thought of What I Thought Was True, and enter to win The Boy Most Likely To!
Be sure to explore the first four chapters of The Boy Most Likely To and help #UnlockTheBoy!
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Book Two of the My Life Next Door series
Publisher: Dial Books
Publication Date: August 18, 2015
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To find the liquor cabinet blindfolded, need a liver transplant, and drive his car into a house
Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To . . . well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters.
For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard.
Then the unexpected consequences of Tim’s wild days come back to shock him. He finds himself in a situation that isn’t all it appears to be, that he never could have predicted . . . but maybe should have.
And Alice is caught in the middle.
Told in Tim’s and Alice’s distinctive, disarming, entirely compelling voices, this novel is for readers of The Spectacular Now, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and Paper Towns.
What I Liked:
Ahhh, the bittersweet kiss of disappointment. I really wanted to like this one more than I did. I read My Life Next Door years ago, and LOVED it. I'm not a cotemporary fan, but this book was one of my favorite books ever - contemporary or otherwise. I just read What I Thought Was True last week, despite owning the book for a while. While I didn't love it as much as I loved My Life Next Door, I thought it was great! Huntley's first two novels were awesome. Five stars to the first one, four stars to the second one... three stars to the third one (The Boy Most Likely To). I can't believe I waited this long, only to be disappointed!
Tim has been kicked out of high school, kicked out of his parents' house, and kicked out of his AA buddy's place, which he hadn't even started to live in yet. Tim's best friend Jase Garrett has Tim live in the Garrett's garage apartment. Alice, Jase's older sister, has been wanting to move into that garage apartment for a long time. With eight kids, the Garretts are quite a large family. Alice is nineteen, the second oldest, should be in college. Instead, she's taking of five of her younger siblings (with Jase, who is a year younger than Alice), while their mom is pregnant with Garrett #9 and their dad is in the hospital after a car accident. The last thing Alice needs is Tim taking the garage apartment. The last thing Tim needs is an unexpected surprise from someone he barely knows. Tim and Alice have way too much going on to be dabbling in a relationship - but maybe that is exactly what they need.
I'm not sure if I was a fan of Tim in My Life Next Door, but remember thinking that he was a crazy kid who needed to get his life together. This book takes that statement to a whole different level. Tim's life is insane. His school kicked him out, his dad kicked him out, and now there is someone new in his life. Not to mention he's kicked alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs OUT of his life. Tim has got it all going on, but I like him. He turns everything into a joke, but he's actually pretty serious, straight-thinking, and smart.
Alice is a control freak. She is always trying to keep Harry, George, Duff, Patsy, and Andy in line. Joel, the oldest Garrett kid, is on his own, living his life. Alice is the second, Jase is the third. Jase is going to college, but Alice had to defer, with the new Garrett baby and their father's injuries. Alice is a second mother, and a control freak. She likes being the dominate one in relationships, and is a bit of a heartless b****. Except around Tim.
The romance is not like that of My Life Next Door or What I Thought Was True at all. While I personally found this to be disappointing, someone else might be pleased. There is little physical interactions between Alice and Tim for about 60% of the book.
The conflict of the book pops in pretty quickly, and it seems a bit... I don't know, weird? I realize this could be an Alyssa thing, but I wasn't sure how I felt about the big curveball of the rising action. A friend of mine said it seemed "convenient", and I agree. It seemed like an easy way to draw this plot, an obvious way. But still, it was definitely fascinating. This plot dominates the story.
One thing that I absolutely LOVED - this book is connected to What I Thought Was True! Which is a standalone that is completely unrelated to this series! Or so we thought. There is one character that links What I Thought Was True and this book - love love love! I may or may not have squealed when I read that character's name - even if I wasn't the biggest fan of the guy in What I Thought Was True ( still am not a fan).
Overall, I liked the book - I just did not love it, and felt disappointed by it. After waiting so long, perhaps my expectations were too high. Or something.
What I Did Not Like:
Like I said above, I didn't really enjoy the big curveball of the rising action. There is a statement that Tim makes that foreshadows this Big Thing, but it seems weird to me. I had mixed feelings as I was reading, and I didn't seem to enjoy the story after The Big Thing was revealed (which is about 30% or so into the book? I'm bad at estimating. It seemed fairly early). The story kind of went downhill from there, for me. This isn't a fluffy contemporary romance novel - one could have figured that out, with Tim being an actively recovering alcoholic and substance abuser. But there is something else going on, and it's... weird.
And the fact that Tim didn't do this one thing to begin with, after finding out about The Big Thing? Hint: he should have questioned the accuracy of what he was told from the start. It doesn't make you a d**khead - it makes you smart. Duh.
The romance - this is not like Jase and Sam. This book is driven by something that is not related to Alice at all. The romance felt nonexistent, in my opinion. Either Huntley didn't do the best job of fleshing out the romance, or she did, and it's supposed to be a bit not-there and subtle and whatnot. Insta-love-y, in my opinion. Did Tim already like Alice from My Life Next Door? I can't remember. But their romance started off insta-love-y, and then there were a ton of speed-bumps and obstacles, and then finally at the end, there is a resolution. The romance was not enjoyable.
Also, there was something that Huntley did not tie up well. I personally think she left the audience hanging when it came to Brad. I won't explain who Brad is, or his role in the book, but just know that Huntley did not resolve his part of the book. I thought he would play a huge role in some part of the climax, but nope!
This is going to make me seem judgmental - but I've seen many people say that they would LOVE to be a Garrett, for the Garrett's to adopt them. Personally, I would hate that. Eight kids, ninth on the way, no money, not even to feed the children? I personally would not even bring ONE child into the world if I couldn't somehow provide. But nine?! And your oldest is twenty-two?! My paternal grandmother did this, guys. Ten children - nine boys, one girl. My dad is the youngest. He and several of the other younger children were raised by the oldest children. It was in a third-world country with things like dirt floors and no running water or electricity. The Garretts are in the USA with all of these great things that they can't pay for and are STILL making more children. I don't know, seems like a bad idea to me. Especially since we get to see things from the second oldest's POV - Alice - and remember, Joel is the twenty-two, the oldest and no longer lives at home. It's so unfair to Alice that she has to take care of her siblings! She does it out of love and blah blah blah but it's still very, very unfair.
Anyway. To each their own. Big families are fun, according to my dad (and my mom, who had seven siblings). But I have two older siblings and they are two enough. Not for me! Again, I realize this is a personal thing. But coming from large families? Taught me a few things.
This might be an Advanced Reader Copy thing, but distinguishing between Alice and Tim's POV was so annoying! There were no asterisks or names in bold at the beginning of a new POV, nothing to indicate a switch. Maybe this will be fixed in the final copy.
Anyway... there were some other things I didn't really like about this book, but I'll step aside for now.
Would I Recommend It:
This is a hard book to recommend/not recommend. On the one hand, I really enjoy Huntley's contemporary books, and would technically recommend any of them. On the other hand, this is easily Huntley's weakest. And yet it took the longest to appear. Definitely read My Life Next Door, but you could stop there. I know there are many Huntley readers that are very devoted, like me, and will read this one no matter what and/or will buy it no matter what. More power to you! I would do the same, had I not read it early.
Rating:
3 stars. It's with a heavy heart that I give this book less than four stars. I mean, it could have been two-star or one-star bad though. Three stars isn't terrible. It isn't that great, either. I liked this book, but I expected so much better, and ended up being disappointed.
My blog is the blog most likely to... come find out! And win a copy of The Boy Most Likely To while you're there! :D
Another giveaway! Come see what I thought of What I Thought Was True, and enter to win The Boy Most Likely To!
Be sure to explore the first four chapters of The Boy Most Likely To and help #UnlockTheBoy!
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Book Two of the My Life Next Door series
Publisher: Dial Books
Publication Date: August 18, 2015
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley
Summary (from Goodreads):
Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To find the liquor cabinet blindfolded, need a liver transplant, and drive his car into a house
Alice Garrett was The Girl Most Likely To . . . well, not date her little brother’s baggage-burdened best friend, for starters.
For Tim, it wouldn’t be smart to fall for Alice. For Alice, nothing could be scarier than falling for Tim. But Tim has never been known for making the smart choice, and Alice is starting to wonder if the “smart” choice is always the right one. When these two crash into each other, they crash hard.
Then the unexpected consequences of Tim’s wild days come back to shock him. He finds himself in a situation that isn’t all it appears to be, that he never could have predicted . . . but maybe should have.
And Alice is caught in the middle.
Told in Tim’s and Alice’s distinctive, disarming, entirely compelling voices, this novel is for readers of The Spectacular Now, Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, and Paper Towns.
What I Liked:
Ahhh, the bittersweet kiss of disappointment. I really wanted to like this one more than I did. I read My Life Next Door years ago, and LOVED it. I'm not a cotemporary fan, but this book was one of my favorite books ever - contemporary or otherwise. I just read What I Thought Was True last week, despite owning the book for a while. While I didn't love it as much as I loved My Life Next Door, I thought it was great! Huntley's first two novels were awesome. Five stars to the first one, four stars to the second one... three stars to the third one (The Boy Most Likely To). I can't believe I waited this long, only to be disappointed!
Tim has been kicked out of high school, kicked out of his parents' house, and kicked out of his AA buddy's place, which he hadn't even started to live in yet. Tim's best friend Jase Garrett has Tim live in the Garrett's garage apartment. Alice, Jase's older sister, has been wanting to move into that garage apartment for a long time. With eight kids, the Garretts are quite a large family. Alice is nineteen, the second oldest, should be in college. Instead, she's taking of five of her younger siblings (with Jase, who is a year younger than Alice), while their mom is pregnant with Garrett #9 and their dad is in the hospital after a car accident. The last thing Alice needs is Tim taking the garage apartment. The last thing Tim needs is an unexpected surprise from someone he barely knows. Tim and Alice have way too much going on to be dabbling in a relationship - but maybe that is exactly what they need.
I'm not sure if I was a fan of Tim in My Life Next Door, but remember thinking that he was a crazy kid who needed to get his life together. This book takes that statement to a whole different level. Tim's life is insane. His school kicked him out, his dad kicked him out, and now there is someone new in his life. Not to mention he's kicked alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs OUT of his life. Tim has got it all going on, but I like him. He turns everything into a joke, but he's actually pretty serious, straight-thinking, and smart.
Alice is a control freak. She is always trying to keep Harry, George, Duff, Patsy, and Andy in line. Joel, the oldest Garrett kid, is on his own, living his life. Alice is the second, Jase is the third. Jase is going to college, but Alice had to defer, with the new Garrett baby and their father's injuries. Alice is a second mother, and a control freak. She likes being the dominate one in relationships, and is a bit of a heartless b****. Except around Tim.
The romance is not like that of My Life Next Door or What I Thought Was True at all. While I personally found this to be disappointing, someone else might be pleased. There is little physical interactions between Alice and Tim for about 60% of the book.
The conflict of the book pops in pretty quickly, and it seems a bit... I don't know, weird? I realize this could be an Alyssa thing, but I wasn't sure how I felt about the big curveball of the rising action. A friend of mine said it seemed "convenient", and I agree. It seemed like an easy way to draw this plot, an obvious way. But still, it was definitely fascinating. This plot dominates the story.
One thing that I absolutely LOVED - this book is connected to What I Thought Was True! Which is a standalone that is completely unrelated to this series! Or so we thought. There is one character that links What I Thought Was True and this book - love love love! I may or may not have squealed when I read that character's name - even if I wasn't the biggest fan of the guy in What I Thought Was True ( still am not a fan).
Overall, I liked the book - I just did not love it, and felt disappointed by it. After waiting so long, perhaps my expectations were too high. Or something.
What I Did Not Like:
Like I said above, I didn't really enjoy the big curveball of the rising action. There is a statement that Tim makes that foreshadows this Big Thing, but it seems weird to me. I had mixed feelings as I was reading, and I didn't seem to enjoy the story after The Big Thing was revealed (which is about 30% or so into the book? I'm bad at estimating. It seemed fairly early). The story kind of went downhill from there, for me. This isn't a fluffy contemporary romance novel - one could have figured that out, with Tim being an actively recovering alcoholic and substance abuser. But there is something else going on, and it's... weird.
And the fact that Tim didn't do this one thing to begin with, after finding out about The Big Thing? Hint: he should have questioned the accuracy of what he was told from the start. It doesn't make you a d**khead - it makes you smart. Duh.
The romance - this is not like Jase and Sam. This book is driven by something that is not related to Alice at all. The romance felt nonexistent, in my opinion. Either Huntley didn't do the best job of fleshing out the romance, or she did, and it's supposed to be a bit not-there and subtle and whatnot. Insta-love-y, in my opinion. Did Tim already like Alice from My Life Next Door? I can't remember. But their romance started off insta-love-y, and then there were a ton of speed-bumps and obstacles, and then finally at the end, there is a resolution. The romance was not enjoyable.
Also, there was something that Huntley did not tie up well. I personally think she left the audience hanging when it came to Brad. I won't explain who Brad is, or his role in the book, but just know that Huntley did not resolve his part of the book. I thought he would play a huge role in some part of the climax, but nope!
This is going to make me seem judgmental - but I've seen many people say that they would LOVE to be a Garrett, for the Garrett's to adopt them. Personally, I would hate that. Eight kids, ninth on the way, no money, not even to feed the children? I personally would not even bring ONE child into the world if I couldn't somehow provide. But nine?! And your oldest is twenty-two?! My paternal grandmother did this, guys. Ten children - nine boys, one girl. My dad is the youngest. He and several of the other younger children were raised by the oldest children. It was in a third-world country with things like dirt floors and no running water or electricity. The Garretts are in the USA with all of these great things that they can't pay for and are STILL making more children. I don't know, seems like a bad idea to me. Especially since we get to see things from the second oldest's POV - Alice - and remember, Joel is the twenty-two, the oldest and no longer lives at home. It's so unfair to Alice that she has to take care of her siblings! She does it out of love and blah blah blah but it's still very, very unfair.
Anyway. To each their own. Big families are fun, according to my dad (and my mom, who had seven siblings). But I have two older siblings and they are two enough. Not for me! Again, I realize this is a personal thing. But coming from large families? Taught me a few things.
This might be an Advanced Reader Copy thing, but distinguishing between Alice and Tim's POV was so annoying! There were no asterisks or names in bold at the beginning of a new POV, nothing to indicate a switch. Maybe this will be fixed in the final copy.
Anyway... there were some other things I didn't really like about this book, but I'll step aside for now.
Would I Recommend It:
This is a hard book to recommend/not recommend. On the one hand, I really enjoy Huntley's contemporary books, and would technically recommend any of them. On the other hand, this is easily Huntley's weakest. And yet it took the longest to appear. Definitely read My Life Next Door, but you could stop there. I know there are many Huntley readers that are very devoted, like me, and will read this one no matter what and/or will buy it no matter what. More power to you! I would do the same, had I not read it early.
Rating:
3 stars. It's with a heavy heart that I give this book less than four stars. I mean, it could have been two-star or one-star bad though. Three stars isn't terrible. It isn't that great, either. I liked this book, but I expected so much better, and ended up being disappointed.
September 8, 2015
2.5 stars
This is the highly anticipated follow up to the wonderful My Life Next Door. I loved that book, and most importantly, I loved Tim in that book. He was introduced as a side character, and ended being a total scene-stealer! I was thrilled when I learned that he and Alice were going to get their own book. But let me warn you not to go into this book expecting a rehash of Jase and Samantha’s story. This book is very different from theirs. It’s not a light, fluffy YA romance, there’s a lot of drama, and though the lighter, fun moments are there, they take a backseat to everything else that is going on - as does the romance. And it’s not one that’s going to leave you all blissed-out with a smile on your face. While technically there is a happy ending, I have to admit I feel kind of traumatised by the whole thing :\
Tim is a recovering alcoholic who has been kicked out of high school, and has mucked around to the point where his family (his father) have pretty much washed their hands of him. Kicked out of home with nowhere else to go, Tim’s best friend Jase Garrett offers him the apartment above his family’s garage, and with little other choice, Tim moves in. I love Tim! He’s not been in a good place, but he’s working hard to figure himself out and get his life back on track. He’s a good guy who is loyal and caring and funny as all hell.
Alice is a harder one to figure out. Jase’s older sister, she’s a control freak, and honestly seems a bit heartless. She has pretty much put her life on hold and is trying her best to keep her family afloat after a tragic accident left her father in hospital. Her mother (pregnant with her 9th child) is understandably by his side as much as possible, so Alice steps in to look after her younger siblings, take care of the bills, the family business and keep things under control at home.
From the moment Tim met Alice in the last book, he’s had a thing for her. Referring to her as “Hot Alice”, he has openly flirted with her, only to be shot down again and again.
Now they’re practically living under the same roof, and it appears that there is some interest from Alice as well, though it must be said, it felt like it came out of nowhere. In fact, I actually wouldn’t class this as much of a romance at all (not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, but based on the first book, it was what I was hoping for and I didn’t get it). It develops, but it happens without a lot of detail. There’s none of the ‘getting to know you’ stuff, in fact there’s only really a few scenes that I would say contribute to their ‘relationship’ at all. It just sort of happens, and it happens in the background to everything else that is going on.
And there is SO much other stuff happening, a lot of it surprising. Alice’s drama with her family is a big focus, as is the ongoing connection with Samantha’s mother, the stress of finances and the day to day craziness of the household. But the bulk of the story belongs to Tim – still very much in recovery and trying to figure what to do with his life when he’s hit with a huge game-changer that tips his whole world upside down. Honestly, I expect that some readers will have an issue with one of the main storylines of this book. It certainly took me by surprise, but I have to say, I liked it and I think it was handled well.
I love Tim, and I loved his journey through this book. He goes through a lot, and I thought he handled it brilliantly! He totally steps up, dealing with everything seriously, but still with the sarcastic humour that I love about him, and through it all he shows what a huge heart he has. He’s an amazing character!
Alice is hard to get to know, and even after reading this book I feel like I still don’t know her very well. We do get to see some development from her, but her story is more about what is going on with her family and how she copes with it all. There’s not a lot of exploration into her as a person, why she is the way she is, or how she’s feeling about Tim .
I enjoyed being back in the crazy world of the Garretts. Their life is completely full on All. The. Time. The scenes with all of the kids were funny, and their outbursts and every day behaviour provides a nice balance to the heaviness of the rest of the story. I particularly loved Patsy’s adoration and claim over Tim, hilarious!
But for me the whole thing never really gelled. It felt like Tim and Alice had two completely separate stories going on that just happened to blend sometimes when they found time to be together. Though it did start to come together more at the end of the book, and they end up in a good place.
I also had some issues with the writing – it wasn’t smooth, and the dual POV felt a bit choppy at times. It wasn’t always clear who’s perspective we were getting - granted, I was reading an ARC and this may be something that’s addressed in the final version of the book with chapters headings or something, but it did make reading it more difficult than it needed to be. But I will say that Fitzpatrick certainly bought the feels! She made my heart hurt, in fact, it’s still hurting. It’s an emotional one alright.
I also thought that with everything that happened, and the detail that we got throughout the book, the ending felt a bit rushed. I would have liked more at the end as not all of the storylines are finished off .
So yeah, a bit of a mixed bag really. There were aspects of it that I liked, and other parts that didn’t really work for me. Maybe my expectations were too high? Possibly. But bottom line - this isn’t the story that I was expecting, and it wasn’t the story that I wanted for Tim.
2.5 stars.
An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is the highly anticipated follow up to the wonderful My Life Next Door. I loved that book, and most importantly, I loved Tim in that book. He was introduced as a side character, and ended being a total scene-stealer! I was thrilled when I learned that he and Alice were going to get their own book. But let me warn you not to go into this book expecting a rehash of Jase and Samantha’s story. This book is very different from theirs. It’s not a light, fluffy YA romance, there’s a lot of drama, and though the lighter, fun moments are there, they take a backseat to everything else that is going on - as does the romance. And it’s not one that’s going to leave you all blissed-out with a smile on your face. While technically there is a happy ending, I have to admit I feel kind of traumatised by the whole thing :\
Tim is a recovering alcoholic who has been kicked out of high school, and has mucked around to the point where his family (his father) have pretty much washed their hands of him. Kicked out of home with nowhere else to go, Tim’s best friend Jase Garrett offers him the apartment above his family’s garage, and with little other choice, Tim moves in. I love Tim! He’s not been in a good place, but he’s working hard to figure himself out and get his life back on track. He’s a good guy who is loyal and caring and funny as all hell.
Alice is a harder one to figure out. Jase’s older sister, she’s a control freak, and honestly seems a bit heartless. She has pretty much put her life on hold and is trying her best to keep her family afloat after a tragic accident left her father in hospital. Her mother (pregnant with her 9th child) is understandably by his side as much as possible, so Alice steps in to look after her younger siblings, take care of the bills, the family business and keep things under control at home.
From the moment Tim met Alice in the last book, he’s had a thing for her. Referring to her as “Hot Alice”, he has openly flirted with her, only to be shot down again and again.
“Tim, I’d chew you up and spit you out.” She slants forward, yanks the straps of her bikini behind her neck, ties them, and settles back. God. I almost can’t breathe.
But I can talk.
I can always talk.
“We could progress to that, Alice. But maybe we start with some gentle nibbling?”
Alice shuts her eyes, opens them again, and gives me an indecipherable look.
“Why don’t I scare you?” she asks.
“You do. You’re scary as hell,” I assure her. “But that works for me. Completely.”
Now they’re practically living under the same roof, and it appears that there is some interest from Alice as well, though it must be said, it felt like it came out of nowhere. In fact, I actually wouldn’t class this as much of a romance at all (not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, but based on the first book, it was what I was hoping for and I didn’t get it). It develops, but it happens without a lot of detail. There’s none of the ‘getting to know you’ stuff, in fact there’s only really a few scenes that I would say contribute to their ‘relationship’ at all. It just sort of happens, and it happens in the background to everything else that is going on.
And there is SO much other stuff happening, a lot of it surprising. Alice’s drama with her family is a big focus, as is the ongoing connection with Samantha’s mother, the stress of finances and the day to day craziness of the household. But the bulk of the story belongs to Tim – still very much in recovery and trying to figure what to do with his life when he’s hit with a huge game-changer that tips his whole world upside down. Honestly, I expect that some readers will have an issue with one of the main storylines of this book. It certainly took me by surprise, but I have to say, I liked it and I think it was handled well.
I love Tim, and I loved his journey through this book. He goes through a lot, and I thought he handled it brilliantly! He totally steps up, dealing with everything seriously, but still with the sarcastic humour that I love about him, and through it all he shows what a huge heart he has. He’s an amazing character!
Alice is hard to get to know, and even after reading this book I feel like I still don’t know her very well. We do get to see some development from her, but her story is more about what is going on with her family and how she copes with it all. There’s not a lot of exploration into her as a person, why she is the way she is, or how she’s feeling about Tim .
I enjoyed being back in the crazy world of the Garretts. Their life is completely full on All. The. Time. The scenes with all of the kids were funny, and their outbursts and every day behaviour provides a nice balance to the heaviness of the rest of the story. I particularly loved Patsy’s adoration and claim over Tim, hilarious!
But for me the whole thing never really gelled. It felt like Tim and Alice had two completely separate stories going on that just happened to blend sometimes when they found time to be together. Though it did start to come together more at the end of the book, and they end up in a good place.
I also had some issues with the writing – it wasn’t smooth, and the dual POV felt a bit choppy at times. It wasn’t always clear who’s perspective we were getting - granted, I was reading an ARC and this may be something that’s addressed in the final version of the book with chapters headings or something, but it did make reading it more difficult than it needed to be. But I will say that Fitzpatrick certainly bought the feels! She made my heart hurt, in fact, it’s still hurting. It’s an emotional one alright.
I also thought that with everything that happened, and the detail that we got throughout the book, the ending felt a bit rushed. I would have liked more at the end as not all of the storylines are finished off .
So yeah, a bit of a mixed bag really. There were aspects of it that I liked, and other parts that didn’t really work for me. Maybe my expectations were too high? Possibly. But bottom line - this isn’t the story that I was expecting, and it wasn’t the story that I wanted for Tim.
2.5 stars.
An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 29, 2015
I don’t like babies in YA.
I’m sorry. Even if you’re an amazing author, which Huntley Fitzpatrick pretty much is. If you have a YA book about teens with babies and I don’t know about it until I’m like a hundred pages into the book, it’s pretty obvious I’m going to DNF you.
Freaking babies.
I had been looking forward to The Boy Most Likely To since I heard it was actually going to be a thing. I enjoyed the Tim and Alice subplot in My Life Next Door and was interesting to see how their story would play out.
I did not think it would involve a baby.
To be fair to the book, if this sort of plot is your thing it’s a decent book. True, I wasn’t engaged as I was with My Life Next Door and to a degree What I Thought Was True, the writing wasn’t bad. It still flowed very nicely, even though Fitzpatrick decided to change up her narration by using dual protagonists.
And to be fair, I thought that Tim sounded like a fairly realistic teenage boy. Though, that probably slightly diminished the swoon factor on his part-just saying. Though, the baby really made the swoonage pretty much non-existant.
Damn babies.
Yeah, I’m going to keep mentioning how much I disliked the babies in this DNF review because it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I think if I had some warning going in, I wouldn’t have been disgusted enough to set the book down. Also, it would’ve helped if maybe I got to know Tim and Alice as leads a little bit more before throwing in a damn baby.
Really, other than Alice being exhausted and a bit of a jerk I really didn’t know that much more about her than I did in My Life Next Door.
I blame the stupid baby for that.
Everyone has their tropes that they dislike, and this in mine.
Grumbles.
It really took this book and ruined it like a lead balloon. And I snuck a peak at the end, so I know I’m really not missing anything worth while.
As for a DNF, I’m giving this one a tad bit higher rating because it was well written. It just had a very stupid trope in it that ruined it for me. And these days, I just don’t have time to read anything that I know I’m going to force myself to read.
I’m sorry. Even if you’re an amazing author, which Huntley Fitzpatrick pretty much is. If you have a YA book about teens with babies and I don’t know about it until I’m like a hundred pages into the book, it’s pretty obvious I’m going to DNF you.
Freaking babies.
I had been looking forward to The Boy Most Likely To since I heard it was actually going to be a thing. I enjoyed the Tim and Alice subplot in My Life Next Door and was interesting to see how their story would play out.
I did not think it would involve a baby.
To be fair to the book, if this sort of plot is your thing it’s a decent book. True, I wasn’t engaged as I was with My Life Next Door and to a degree What I Thought Was True, the writing wasn’t bad. It still flowed very nicely, even though Fitzpatrick decided to change up her narration by using dual protagonists.
And to be fair, I thought that Tim sounded like a fairly realistic teenage boy. Though, that probably slightly diminished the swoon factor on his part-just saying. Though, the baby really made the swoonage pretty much non-existant.
Damn babies.
Yeah, I’m going to keep mentioning how much I disliked the babies in this DNF review because it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I think if I had some warning going in, I wouldn’t have been disgusted enough to set the book down. Also, it would’ve helped if maybe I got to know Tim and Alice as leads a little bit more before throwing in a damn baby.
Really, other than Alice being exhausted and a bit of a jerk I really didn’t know that much more about her than I did in My Life Next Door.
I blame the stupid baby for that.
Everyone has their tropes that they dislike, and this in mine.
Grumbles.
It really took this book and ruined it like a lead balloon. And I snuck a peak at the end, so I know I’m really not missing anything worth while.
As for a DNF, I’m giving this one a tad bit higher rating because it was well written. It just had a very stupid trope in it that ruined it for me. And these days, I just don’t have time to read anything that I know I’m going to force myself to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2015
Actual rating 3.75 stars
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Happy to have Tim's story. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be and there were a lot of moments I really enjoyed. However, some of the plot twists and turns didn't quite work out for me. I did enjoy the subject matter of the book and thought it was refreshing to see a main character with a REAL past and real mess ups. Tim is definitely my favorite main character I've read from Huntley.
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Happy to have Tim's story. It wasn't what I thought it was going to be and there were a lot of moments I really enjoyed. However, some of the plot twists and turns didn't quite work out for me. I did enjoy the subject matter of the book and thought it was refreshing to see a main character with a REAL past and real mess ups. Tim is definitely my favorite main character I've read from Huntley.
coming-soon
January 10, 2014THERE'S GONNA BE A SEQUEL???
Be still my heart!
You have no idea how much I loved the FIRST BOOK! I cant wait until 2015! ITS SOOOOO FAR AWAY! Nonetheless, I know Ms. Fitzpatrick is going to write a masterpiece that I can gush all over! And the book is going to be about TIM? EVEN BETTER! He was one of my favorite characters! He was such a sweet and thoughtful guy! Oh and I cant wait to see how Nan turned out... maybe she fell in a hole somewhere! PLEEEEEEEEASE tell me we get to see Sam and Jase in this book! I need me some sweet teenage romance!
Be still my heart!
You have no idea how much I loved the FIRST BOOK! I cant wait until 2015! ITS SOOOOO FAR AWAY! Nonetheless, I know Ms. Fitzpatrick is going to write a masterpiece that I can gush all over! And the book is going to be about TIM? EVEN BETTER! He was one of my favorite characters! He was such a sweet and thoughtful guy! Oh and I cant wait to see how Nan turned out... maybe she fell in a hole somewhere! PLEEEEEEEEASE tell me we get to see Sam and Jase in this book! I need me some sweet teenage romance!
September 15, 2015
The Boy Most Likely To was not at all the book I expected it to be. Despite not loving Fitzpatrick's debut, I picked up this companion on the sole belief that I adored Tim Mason and Alice Garrett--and I do. Yet, their love story, the trials and tribulations they face throughout this volume, are not what I expected upon cracking open the spine of this novel. Tim is the Boy Most Likely to Fail and this is a burden he carries heavily upon his shoulders. Everyone in his family, from his father to his sister, expects the worst from him so when Tim is given an ultimatum to get his act together by December--staying sober, finding a place to live, supporting himself, figuring out his future--he is determined to prove them all wrong. But mistakes just follow Tim and his biggest mistake yet has just turned up on his front door.
I absolutely love the growth in this novel. Tim's perseverance to be a better person, despite being put down by those around him time and time again, is admirable and my heart went out to him. He hides his insecurities and pain behind his laid-back demeanor and flirtatious comments with Alice but the real Tim is a strong and capable man. Alice, too, grows immensely over the course of this story as she grows to accept and love Tim for who he really is, not to mention love herself. Alice has always hidden behind her figure and beautiful face, taking up responsibilities above her age to support her family and sacrificing her dreams to help them. But sometimes the hardest thing is learning to love yourself and actually be selfish, once in awhile, and Alice's tough journey to that acceptance was so beautifully written. Fitzpatrick does this with each and every one of her novels; she identifies journeys and stories that are powerful and painful and messy but ones that need to be told and she does it with such aplomb. I read her books for her rich characterization that is sustained throughout and never falters.
Despite the fact that I loved the ultimate take-home messages of this novel, I will admit that I found it tough to read because of the unexpected events that occur within it. I wasn't a fan of those paths and wished that these journeys could have been explored in a slightly different manner. With these two books I've always wished for this--for these same characters to achieve their growth through slightly different plot circumstances. I suspect it's an issue only I truly have for, either than that, I cannot recommend this book enough. Don't expect a light and breezy romantic comedy because this book is far heavier than it seems but, if you go in with the right mindset, you'll fall in love.
I absolutely love the growth in this novel. Tim's perseverance to be a better person, despite being put down by those around him time and time again, is admirable and my heart went out to him. He hides his insecurities and pain behind his laid-back demeanor and flirtatious comments with Alice but the real Tim is a strong and capable man. Alice, too, grows immensely over the course of this story as she grows to accept and love Tim for who he really is, not to mention love herself. Alice has always hidden behind her figure and beautiful face, taking up responsibilities above her age to support her family and sacrificing her dreams to help them. But sometimes the hardest thing is learning to love yourself and actually be selfish, once in awhile, and Alice's tough journey to that acceptance was so beautifully written. Fitzpatrick does this with each and every one of her novels; she identifies journeys and stories that are powerful and painful and messy but ones that need to be told and she does it with such aplomb. I read her books for her rich characterization that is sustained throughout and never falters.
Despite the fact that I loved the ultimate take-home messages of this novel, I will admit that I found it tough to read because of the unexpected events that occur within it. I wasn't a fan of those paths and wished that these journeys could have been explored in a slightly different manner. With these two books I've always wished for this--for these same characters to achieve their growth through slightly different plot circumstances. I suspect it's an issue only I truly have for, either than that, I cannot recommend this book enough. Don't expect a light and breezy romantic comedy because this book is far heavier than it seems but, if you go in with the right mindset, you'll fall in love.
July 4, 2015
NOT.ENOUGH.STARS.IN.THE.UNIVERSE.
Can the Garretts adopt me now?
It was a struggle not to read this in one sitting because I so enjoyed being back in this setting with these characters and NEEDED TO KNOW what happened, but I also wanted to savor every minute I spent with them, line by line.
Sharing headspace with Tim and Alice was not easy, in fact, it was utterly heartbreaking at times. But this story is brimming with love, forgiveness, acceptance, and redemption. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I laughed some more.
The twists and turns kept me reading and I lovedlovedloved the romance that developed, but it was the growth these characters experienced--mostly Tim, especially Tim, that made me love it so much. The end left me smiling through my happy tears AND made me long for more books devoted to every single one of the Garrett children, even the one yet to be born. ;)
Can the Garretts adopt me now?
It was a struggle not to read this in one sitting because I so enjoyed being back in this setting with these characters and NEEDED TO KNOW what happened, but I also wanted to savor every minute I spent with them, line by line.
Sharing headspace with Tim and Alice was not easy, in fact, it was utterly heartbreaking at times. But this story is brimming with love, forgiveness, acceptance, and redemption. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I laughed some more.
The twists and turns kept me reading and I lovedlovedloved the romance that developed, but it was the growth these characters experienced--mostly Tim, especially Tim, that made me love it so much. The end left me smiling through my happy tears AND made me long for more books devoted to every single one of the Garrett children, even the one yet to be born. ;)
June 9, 2017
This was such a lovely read. I really warmed to each of the characters. It was so much fun to follow Alice and Tim and to be reunited with so many of the characters from My Life Next Door. I really enjoyed the vast range to subjects this book touched on, so many of which I haven't seen regularly in YA (such as class, teen pregnancy, teen addiction etc.) I also loved that, at the ages of 18 & 19, the main characters were older than the average YA protagonist. It was also really interesting to have a contemporary romance partly narrated from the guys point of view, which isn't something I've seen a lot of. This went a lot deep than I was expecting it to and ending up having a really gave balance of contemporary 'fluff', whilst also tackling some great discussions. The Boy Most Likely To was a fantastic follow up from My Life Next Door and a contemporary read I'd definitely recommend.
August 21, 2015
Things I Am Not Here For When I Read YA (or anything else, but especially YA)
- 90 % of the book being about babies
- A relationship in which one of the kids is underage
Anyway. The writing is fantastic as usual, but the themes sucked, the story was predictable to the very last "twist", nothing gets resolved when it comes to the Garretts and the plot retreads stuff from MLND, pretty much pointlessly (or just to create drama because reasons).
Also re, the Garretts and their family --> "Ne faites que les enfants que vous êtes capables d’aimer et d’éduquer." FOOD FOR THOUGHT, Y'ALL.
Mostly a big, fat, disappointment.
*drops mic*
- 90 % of the book being about babies
- A relationship in which one of the kids is underage
Anyway. The writing is fantastic as usual, but the themes sucked, the story was predictable to the very last "twist", nothing gets resolved when it comes to the Garretts and the plot retreads stuff from MLND, pretty much pointlessly (or just to create drama because reasons).
Also re, the Garretts and their family --> "Ne faites que les enfants que vous êtes capables d’aimer et d’éduquer." FOOD FOR THOUGHT, Y'ALL.
Mostly a big, fat, disappointment.
*drops mic*
May 11, 2016
Story rating: 4 Stars
Audio rating: 5 Stars
Overall rating: 4 Stars
I prefer to write my reviews as soon as I finish a book. But sometimes I don’t have time or I’m not in the mood to put my thoughts on paper. So I put the book and my notes aside for later. Most of the time my emotions deem, and my thoughts get quieter and quieter. And I end up not writing a review at all. However there are books that stay with me for a long time. The Boy Most Likely To is one of these books. I’ve read it more than three months ago, but my emotions are still fresh and I can’t say good-bye to these characters.
In truth I didn’t know what to expect from this book. I found both Tim and Alice interesting characters in My Life Next Door, but they weren’t my favorites, and I didn’t expect to love them. I also couldn’t imagine them as a couple. But their romance squeezed my heart. It was wonderfully sweet and touching.
And I fell in love with Tim. His voice is so genuine and fresh. He hides behind his jokes and flippant attitude, his charm is his armor; but he is so vulnerable.
Alice is another story. I finally understood what stood behind her actions. She hides behind her good looks and takes up too many responsibilities. It took me longer to warm up to her, but in the end I loved her too.
And of course Garretts… I adore this messy chaotic mob. Angie told in her review “I think I've been quietly missing the Garretts for the last three years.” And I feel the same way.
But I did have issues with this book. There were several unexpected events. While they trigger main characters’ growth, I wish that the author would do it differently.
My thoughts about the audiobook
The audiobooks is narrated by my favorite narrator Jorjeana Marie. I love her voice and would listen to anything narrated by her. I’ve listened to several audiobooks narrated by her, and she brought the characters to life every time. She never became a narrator of one character. Unfortunately sometimes it happens. I was so impressed with Natalie Ross performance in The Fever Series, that her voice is Mac’s voice for me. Though, it’s definitely a personal thing.
MacLeod Andrews is a new to me narrator, and he is very good. I admit his voice wasn’t what I expected for Tim, and it took me some time to get used to MacLeod Andrews’ voice. But once I immersed in the story I couldn’t imagine Tim to sound differently.
The narration was really good and I highly recommend the audiobook.
The Boy Most Likely To is emotional and full of depth book about growing up, family, friendship and love. Though I would like the story progress differently, and I didn’t enjoy several plotlines I loved this book. And I can’t wait to read another book by Huntley Fitzpatrick.
You can find my reviews:
Audio rating: 5 Stars
Overall rating: 4 Stars
I prefer to write my reviews as soon as I finish a book. But sometimes I don’t have time or I’m not in the mood to put my thoughts on paper. So I put the book and my notes aside for later. Most of the time my emotions deem, and my thoughts get quieter and quieter. And I end up not writing a review at all. However there are books that stay with me for a long time. The Boy Most Likely To is one of these books. I’ve read it more than three months ago, but my emotions are still fresh and I can’t say good-bye to these characters.
In truth I didn’t know what to expect from this book. I found both Tim and Alice interesting characters in My Life Next Door, but they weren’t my favorites, and I didn’t expect to love them. I also couldn’t imagine them as a couple. But their romance squeezed my heart. It was wonderfully sweet and touching.
And I fell in love with Tim. His voice is so genuine and fresh. He hides behind his jokes and flippant attitude, his charm is his armor; but he is so vulnerable.
Alice is another story. I finally understood what stood behind her actions. She hides behind her good looks and takes up too many responsibilities. It took me longer to warm up to her, but in the end I loved her too.
And of course Garretts… I adore this messy chaotic mob. Angie told in her review “I think I've been quietly missing the Garretts for the last three years.” And I feel the same way.
But I did have issues with this book. There were several unexpected events. While they trigger main characters’ growth, I wish that the author would do it differently.
My thoughts about the audiobook
The audiobooks is narrated by my favorite narrator Jorjeana Marie. I love her voice and would listen to anything narrated by her. I’ve listened to several audiobooks narrated by her, and she brought the characters to life every time. She never became a narrator of one character. Unfortunately sometimes it happens. I was so impressed with Natalie Ross performance in The Fever Series, that her voice is Mac’s voice for me. Though, it’s definitely a personal thing.
MacLeod Andrews is a new to me narrator, and he is very good. I admit his voice wasn’t what I expected for Tim, and it took me some time to get used to MacLeod Andrews’ voice. But once I immersed in the story I couldn’t imagine Tim to sound differently.
The narration was really good and I highly recommend the audiobook.
The Boy Most Likely To is emotional and full of depth book about growing up, family, friendship and love. Though I would like the story progress differently, and I didn’t enjoy several plotlines I loved this book. And I can’t wait to read another book by Huntley Fitzpatrick.
You can find my reviews:
May 26, 2016
I liked this book definitly less than the first one. The topics were too serious and most of the people did give me a headache at some point. Such as Grace Reed, Hester, Nan and Brad. Please, leave already! The romance progresses rather slowly compared to the first book but takes off towards the end. Cute, cuter ... Alice & Tim!
Alice seems confusing, her mood swing's in rather different directions at some points, from moody to sweet, glad to pissed off. Tim is MY main intrest. Sarcasm = check, good looks = check, bad boy = check. Love it! The first-book obsession failed to draw me into the second one, i read it rather in bits than one sitting. Still it's an easy and fun book.
Due to the lack in some departments which the first book filled, i have to give it a lower rate than the first one, still it's worth the buy.
3,5/5 stars
Alice seems confusing, her mood swing's in rather different directions at some points, from moody to sweet, glad to pissed off. Tim is MY main intrest. Sarcasm = check, good looks = check, bad boy = check. Love it! The first-book obsession failed to draw me into the second one, i read it rather in bits than one sitting. Still it's an easy and fun book.
Due to the lack in some departments which the first book filled, i have to give it a lower rate than the first one, still it's worth the buy.
3,5/5 stars
February 23, 2016
Dnf like 50% through.
I am really disappointed. When I read the boy next door I loved Tim's character and laughed my head off. I wanted a light fluffy summer read with romance and Tim trying to get past his many addictions. But I got something with heavy issues and not to my liking. The complications were too deep and no no. It could have been so much better.
I am really disappointed. When I read the boy next door I loved Tim's character and laughed my head off. I wanted a light fluffy summer read with romance and Tim trying to get past his many addictions. But I got something with heavy issues and not to my liking. The complications were too deep and no no. It could have been so much better.
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