The Boy Next Story by Tiffany Schmidt Series: Bookish Boyfriends #2
Published by Amulet Paperbacks
Published: May 21, 2019
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The second book in a series where your favorite literary characters come to life, inspired by the timeless classic, Little Women!
There’s no one better than the boy next door. At least not according to Aurora Campbell, fourteen, who has been in love with Tobias May since their very first sandbox kiss. The problem is, he’s in love with her older sister, Merrilee. And Merri is already dating one of his best friends.
Rory is learning all about pining as her class reads The Great Gatsby, a book she doesn’t find “great” at all. Also not great—her GPA, something she needs to fix, quickly, if she’d like to apply for the chance to spend a week studying art with her hero in New York City over winter break. But when Ms. Gregoire assigns her to read Little Women for extra credit, Rory discovers more than she expected—both about herself and Toby. Maybe she wasn’t in love with the boy next door. . . but the boy next story.
Love is complicated, and it’s all about to get even trickier for Rory at Reginald R. Hero Prep . . . where with the help of one quirky English teacher, students’ fantasies come true, often with surprising consequences.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Last year when I reviewed A Date with Darcy (previously Bookish Boyfriends) I said: “…I have read a couple of books by Tiffany Schmidt, and I have met her in person. Bookish Boyfriends is probably the most Tiffany book I have ever read.” After reading The Boy Next Story, I stand corrected. This is the most Tiffany book I have ever read! I know that sounds weird to say and if you have never met her you may not understand, but I could feel her and her love for writing and teaching and the classic novels in every turn of the page. Honestly, I couldn’t have loved this book more if I tried and that is because I could tell how much Tiffany loved crafting it.
The Boy Next Story is Rory’s story. The youngest of the Campbell girls, Rory has always had trouble finding her place. She is the artistic one, the forgotten one, the one that feels like the extra. Now at a new school, she is having even more trouble. Between her failing math grade to being blatantly disliked in her once favorite class, art, Rory is having a hard time. And her crush on her neighbor, Toby isn’t helping since he is still head over heels for her sister, Merrilee. All Rory wants is to be seen and to be herself. Now she just needs to figure out how to do that…and manage not to flunk out of Hero High. Good thing her English teacher is some kind of magic.
I have loved Rory since the first time she was introduced in A Date with Darcy. There was something about her that connected with me and I think that is what also made her book so much more special to read. I 100% loved everything about this book. I loved Rory and her sisters and her group of friends. I love her relationship with Toby and with her art. I loved how lost she felt and alone and how that made her a better person when she grew and learned from all of it. And I loved how, as a reader, I got to watch her grow and develop into the fantastic person that she is.
I say this all the time, but reviewing a book you love is so hard to do. My love for The Boy Next Story is difficult to put into the appropriate words. I loved it so much and I feel like that isn’t enough to say. I feel like I’m doing this amazing book a disservice by only saying that, but honestly that I all I have. That and I need you to go out and buy a copy and fall in love with Rory and Toby and all the others like I did.
About Tiffany Schmidt
Tiffany Schmidt is the author of Send Me a Sign, Bright Before Sunrise, and Hold Me Like a Breath (Once Upon a Crime Family book 1).
She’s found her happily ever after in Pennsylvania with her saintly husband, impish twin boys, and a pair of mischievous puggles.
You can find out more about her and her books at: TiffanySchmidt.com, TiffanySchmidtWrites.Tumblr.com or by following her on Twitter @TiffanySchmidt.
Prize: Win a copy of BOOKISH BOYFRIENDS: THE BOY NEXT STORY by Tiffany Schmidt (US Only) Ends 6/4/19.
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Wow! This sounds amazing! And I totally agree on loving a book so much that it’s so hard to put words to that love and say why. I’ll have to write this one down to check it out!