"This second chance at love will surprise you"
Growing up, as next door neighbors in early 1980s Rushton,
England, Mickey and Fred were best friends doing everything
together sort of Siamese twins. They expected their
friendship to go years beyond their first cigarette and
kiss to their last dying breath. However, the death of his
father intercedes and the duo is separated as Fred and his
family moves away. Fifteen years later both are ignorant that the other also
resides in London. The divorced Mickey raises a son by
herself while managing a flower shop. Fred is a marketing
manager for an Internet news site. He is engaged, but
keeps asking "is that all there is"? That is until he
accidentally runs into Mickey. With his wedding one month
away, Fred wonders if he loves Mickey or just nostalgic
over seeing his best bud from the happiest period in his
life? THE BOY NEXT DOOR uses the technique of alternating first
person perspectives (between Fred and Mickey) that Josie
Lloyd and Emlyn Rees are so adept at making work. The "He
thinks, She thinks" story line focuses on the angst of the
understandable lead characters with flashbacks to their
idyllic childhood and the abrupt end of their personal
Eden. Though his fiancee Rebecca is not much of a rival as
she is too selfish to matter to Fred or readers, this novel
will motivate readers to seek previous books from this
dynamic duo (COME TOGETHER) while wondering what Josie
wrote and what Emlyn wrote. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted April 18, 2002
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