Jackie Howard has lost her whole family. Her mom, dad, sister. She is alone in New York with the exception of her housekeeper. Her mother's friend, Katherine Walter is about to become her new guardian and move her out to Colorado. What...Colorado? What is out there? How can she leave the city behind and go live in the middle of nowhere with all that clean air? With a heavy heart, Jackie packs up all of her things and heads out to the airport. When she gets off the plane and meets Katherine a bombshell comes out of Katherine's mouth. She has twelve boys!

MY LIFE WITH THE WALTER BOYS is a heart tugging tale of how Jackie tries to move on from the accident that claimed her family. Her new life in Colorado can't be further away from what she once had in New York City. There is so much chaos, tons of noise, and bodies everywhere she turns. Not to mention that the Walter boys are gorgeous! Still, Jackie feels guilty thinking about the boys in that way when her family is all gone. She's never had a boyfriend but maybe that is about to change. Two brothers in particular are the contenders for Jackie's empty boyfriend slot. It doesn't really feel like a love triangle though.

I think Ali Novak does it in a way that haters of love triangles would still enjoy MY LIFE WITH THE WALTER BOYS. I think what really made the book though was the individuality and uniqueness of every Walter boy. Ali Novak didn't gloss over them, mention them once, and that's it. I really got to know each one of them and some I even became invested in. I also loved seeing the brotherly love between them all. It is very heartwarming.

I recommend MY LIFE WITH THE WALTER BOYS to all contemporary fans, especially ones in need of a book that will hook them from the start. I can't wait for the sequel to be released in 2015. I fell in love with all the boys and even the one girl, Parker, who was really a tomboy.

Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. I felt like I was right there in the middle of all the chaos and sitting at the table with them while they pulled pranks on each other. The writing is strong, the story line is a little overwhelming at times but it's the characters that kept me invested and turning the pages till it's all said and done. This is an amusing entertaining YA contemporary about family, loss, and finding strength in numbers. Surviving means living and it is good to see Jackie with a new family to do just that.