Thursday, August 13, 2015

Book Review: The Boy Most Likely To by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Pages: 432
Genre: YA Realistic Fiction
Pub. Date: August 18, 2015
Source: Publisher for review
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "Tim Mason was The Boy Most Likely To: - find the liquor cabinet blindfolded - need a liver transplant - 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 return to the world of My Life Next Door is a story about failing first, trying again, and having to decide whether to risk it all once more."

Tim Mason is sort of a mess. He has gotten kicked out of high school, drinks too much, and now his father has given him an ultimatum to get his life together.  Tim is trying. He has joined AA, studying to get his GED and has even moved out of his parent's house.  He is staying at his best friend's apartment that is adjacent the Garrett household.  If you remember from My Life Next Door, the Garrett's are a larger than life family with many kids and a very busy household.  Alice Garrett, aspiring nurse, lives at home and has her life figured out. Or so she thought until Tim reemerged.  These two can't deny their immediate attraction to one another, but how could Alice date someone with so much baggage? And Tim gets even more baggage when he receives an unexpected visitor.  Fans of My Life Next Door and contemporary fiction will enjoy The Boy Most Likely To. It's a story that examines the unexpected highs and lows that life brings while trying to figure out your path in life.

Tim Mason, for me, was Tim Riggins. As we learned more and more about Tim, I kept imagining Tim Riggins in The Boy Most Likely To. They share many similarities. Tim is a good guy deep down, but he makes bad choices. He is trying to get his life back together, but something unexpected happens once he is finally trying to get ahead.  He even is pursuing his life-long crush on Alice Garrett, but there's a major roadblock that pops up when he least expects it.

Alice Garrett is a fun character in The Boy Most Likely To. She's tough, she snarky and she knows what she wants.  I really enjoyed being thrown back into the Garrett's world.  She has many responsibilities as she has a ton of siblings and she is a nurturer by nature.  So when Tim, essentially a wounded bird, shows up at her house, she tries to steer him in the right direction. I loved their relationship from the beginning, but there were many, many bumps in their road.

It was fun to revisit the Garrett family from My Life Next Door. Fitzpatrick really knows how to portray the dynamics and the chaos of a big family.  I was a little surprised to hear that Mrs. Garrett is expecting yet another child...it seems sort of crazy at this point, but I guess that's par for the course.

If you like contemporary fiction that has two unlikely characters who fall for each other while also dealing with the many ups and downs of life, definitely check out The Boy Most Likely To this summer.  Fans of Fitzpatrick won't be disappointed.  




8 comments:

  1. Nice review! This kind of reminds me of something Katie McGarry would write. Can the book be read as a standalone or do you have to read the other books first?

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    1. Thanks, Christina! It definitely had more of a Katie McGarry vibe and an older YA vibe due to the content of the book. I think you could definitely read it as a standalone, but if you have read My Life Next Door, you will appreciate the Garrett family even more. Thanks for visiting!

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  2. Above all, I think I'm really looking forward to revisit the crazy Garrett family. This book has been getting a lacklustre reception so far. I'm still looking forward to reading it, though.

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    1. It was definitely fun to revisit the Garrett family. I think I liked My Life Next Door a bit more, but I found this one entertaining. I can't wait to hear your thoughts. Thanks for visiting, Joy!

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  3. Lovely review! I have yet to read anything by Fitzpatrick yet! I hope to soon though!

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    1. Thanks, Kaitlyn. I would definitely start with My Life Next Door. That's my favorite of hers. Thanks for visiting!

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  4. This sounds like a really good one, Christina; I like the story line and I'm encouraged by your review. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts!

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    1. Thanks, Tara! I love Fitzpatrick's books, especially in the summertime. Thanks for visiting!

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