August 3, 2015
Fitzpatrick returns to the theme of opposites uniting in this heartfelt companion to My Life Next Door (2012), which revisits the large, boisterous Garrett family. When the story begins, eldest daughter Alice is overwhelmed by the responsibilities of working at her parents' hardware store, chauffeuring her siblings around town, and tackling the family's mounting bills while her father is in the hospital. She cannot help but be irritated when her brother's screw-up buddy, Tim, gets kicked out of his house and usurps her one place of refuge, the apartment above the garage. Tim appears to be turning over a new leaf, but when the serious consequences of Tim's wild days come crashing down, it threatens to compromise Tim's plans for the future and destroy his blossoming romance with Alice. The well-defined characters, splashes of humor, and emotional entanglements of Fitzpatrick's previous works reappear in full force in this contemporary romance. Not every conflict gets resolved, but readers will sense that the Garretts and newcomer Tim will surpass their obstacles and thrive. Ages 14âup. Agent: Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Agency.