By Jilleen Hays**Giveaway is now closed**
Sometimes, love is closer than you think.
Did you ever have a crush on the boy next door? I sure did! From 3rd – 5th grade I was “in love” with Ricky, whose grandmother lived next door. My BFF (we didn’t call it that in the “old days”), Janine, lived one block over and she was “in love” with my next door neighbor, Jimmy! Jimmy and Ricky were best buddies and all four of us were in the same class too!
What great memories I have of “spying” on the boys and doing all sorts of “crazy-kid” things to get their attention. Then the day came that Ricky moved away….breaking my heart. Believe it or not, we ended up going to the same University, but there was no “spark” left when we bumped into each other!
I was thrilled to have the chance to review The Boy Next Door by Annabelle Costa. In The Boy Next Door, Tasha has always able to count on Jason through middle school, high school, bad dates, and an ill-advised punk phase. Since the day he moved in next door, he’s gone from the weird kid in a wheelchair to Tasha’s most trusted friend. But lives change and the friends are going in different directions. When Jason and Tasha rekindle their friendship, sparks fly. After years of being a wild soul, now the ex-lead of a band turned music teacher is just looking for a relationship to last.
When none other than Jason introduces her to a man who can give her what she wants, Tasha is on the verge of throwing passion and love away just so she can forget her troubled past and settle down. But Jason isn’t ready to give her up just yet.
I really enjoyed The Boy Next Door. It was a quick, but a predictable read. I loved the characters….Tasha, Jason, Melissa and Larry! They seemed very relatable. The story starts when Jason moves in next door to Tasha in middle school and quickly moves through to present day. Jason sets up Tasha with Larry, his co-worker, on her 32nd birthday. He is a bore, but Tasha tries to overlook it. Jason has been dating Melissa for a while and she doesn’t care for the friendship between Jason and Tasha. She also works with Larry and Jason.
When Tasha goes back to Philadelphia for a family funeral, Jason drives her. It is a road trip she won't forget for many reasons, trips down memory lane and a fight with her sister. Sparks fly between the two sisters causing an explosion of emotions. When they arrive back in NYC, Tasha discovers other sparks flew while she was away! What starts well, ends well!
If you are looking for a quick and fun read, I recommend The Boy Next Door and don’t let the YA cover fool you….it is not for a YA audience!!
Also, thanks to Dev Love Press, LLC for the book in exchange for an honest review. They also have a copy to give away to one lucky reader anywhere in the world!
How to win a paperback copy of The Boy Next Door:
Please tell us, which crush of yours stands out the most? (One entry per person.) Please include your e-mail address or another way to reach you if you win. Entries without contact information will NOT be counted.
Giveaway ends January 7th at midnight EST.
Jilleen Hays is the owner of Seaside Book Nook blog, Corporate Controller for a Health System in NY, adjunct accounting instructor at SUNY, wife and mother of three (one son and twin daughters). When she isn’t working, running to her kids’ sporting events or teaching at the university, she is reading.
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28 comments:
My biggest crush was on the guy who never seemed interested, just friendly. For 4 years, I secretly crushed on him, while he dated other girls or talked to me about camping or his car. To this day, I can't see an army issued, camo backpack or a retro orange VW bug without thinking of him.
dawndennis66611 at yahoo dot com
Mine was with a knight. Yes a knight. We both worked at Medieval Times and he was a knight in the jousting show. Definitely my knight in shinning armor. Unfortunatley I wasn't the only damsel in distress lol!
Margaret
singitm(at)hotmail(dot)com
My biggest crush was when I was just start high school and he was senior. He seemed larger than life! Of course he never knew I existed but the crush was nice while it lasted.
Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
My biggest crush was in the 4th grade. Lol
I still have the valentine this boy gave me!
itzhunicAThotmailDOTcom
Thank you for the chance to start this new year with a great book!
Wow... a crush...I can't remember any crushes at this point in my life. I hope that doesn't rule me out.
I am a GFC follower
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
I ended up marrying my biggest crush...we met on the first day of law school. I was dating someone else. We were in the same classes for the first year and some classes in the next 2 years. We hung out all the time with mutual friends. Then we both ended moving back to the same area after we graduated. We talked often and hung out. Then, a year later, we officially started dating. Now, we have been married for 7 years and have 3 beautiful kids.
everyfreechance@gmail.com
Hugh Jackman
Happy new year!
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
What awesome stories!
sparkle40175@hotmail.com
My biggest crush was on a friend who I met while I was out one night. I met several of his girlfriends over the course of time but secretly I had this awful crush on him. I met him over 10 years ago..and I told him about the crush a few years back. He thinks it was funny... but he said it was a big compliment. Lol.
This looks like such a cute book!I had a HUGE crush on a big senior boy who looked just like young Luke Perry. I was just a mere freshman, so I didn't stand a chance...sigh.
My biggest crush was when I was 18, and working my first office job. I got lucky and I married him. This book sounds really good. Thanks for having the giveaway.
ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net
My 1st crush was when I was in second grade! Ha! His name was Dan and he was in third grade. On Valentine's Day he gave me chocolate!! I thought I was in looove! :)
Brannanflooring@aol.com
Mine was so many years ago!!.... I was 17 and I was madly in love with a 25yo guy. He had lot of issues, but I was so in love. We fell in that dark area where love become a wicked game. I could finally "close that book" when I was 22 and I told him that I was tired to wait for him and tired of that games. But, it was a "life changer" experience.
GREAT BOOK!!... I love it. Thanks.
Val valkyrja.dev(at)gmail(dot)com
awe...biggest crush so far was in college...and I did not realize for the longest time he had a crush on me too! Finally perfect timing! My best memory is spending Veteran's Day in Washington, DC, visiting the Arlington National Cemetary and walking in the rain to the Vietnam War Memorial. Then, having a late lunch. Truly, the perfect day. If only I could meet someone like him.
sendsusanmail AT gmail dot com
I was in High School & his name was Roderick. Dark, mysterious & a tad off-beat. Sigh!!
marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
I always remember in grade school I had a crush on Brian and dreamed he would notice me but he never did!
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
I had a HUGE crush on a guy who lived in the same apartment community I did. We were both in middle school, but because he was a year older he always acted like I was just some punk kid. :(
coversaralea@yahoo.com
Rupert Grint! and he definitely stands out the most ;P
Anyway, my biggest crush was in high school, I had a crush on my classmate, and still is (haha!), and of course he never noticed me.
keizoku_luffy at yahoo dot com
I had a crush on someone I was friends with for a long time. He ended up being the one who introduced me to my husband, and was best man at our wedding!
bjoneill@hotmail.com
Hmmm..Not easy to choose between Kurt Cobain and Eddie from Pearl Jam (yeah, I'm old:))
Ok now seriously, my biggest crush was in High school, we were friends, he only saw me as a "mate"..blah blah, I guess many of you have heard this story. Then I finished HS and one of my friends started dating him. Yeah, life can be a bitch sometimes..but anyway, haven't thought of this guy in such a long time. Ok, I better stop now LOL
I'm GFC and twitter follower, and as always, thanks guys for this awesome giveaway! HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND ALL OF YOUR READERS:)
love2slim(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Bobby Sherman ... I am OLD!
wordywon at gmail dot com
I follow by email; GFC, twitter, FB
Mine stand out crush was the first boy to talk to me when we moved to a new town my Jr. Year of High School. He was my tour guide, high school best friend.
Now 20 some years later we are still friends, but laugh at the sparks I thought was there
Mine was an older boy at church.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com
My longest lasting crush was in high school on a guy who rode my bus. That was ages ago and sadly I have to say this year he went missing and they never found him. :(
queenofcrunk@gmail.com
in 7th grade i had a crush on my teacher, of course was way out of my league - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com
When I was in high school, I had a crush on a guy who went to high school in the next town.
jeryl.marcus@gmail.com
Thanks to everyone for participating and telling us about your crushes. Such fun stories!
Thanks to Dev Love Press for sharing the book with our winner, who was chosen (from all entries with contact info) by random.org.
Congrats to Na!
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