My Life Next Door has been described as an "excellent first novel" that "movingly captures the intensity of first love, the corrupting forces of power, and the losses suffered by innocent victims caught in a web of political deceit." and "A summer romance with depth." Young adult author Lauren Morrill counted it as one of five books that most inspired her to write, stating "My Life Next Door is one of those books that I wish I’d written ... Huntley’s writing is nipping at my heels, pushing me to up the swoon factor." while Kirkus Reviews asserted "Fitzpatrick delivers an almost perfect summer romance." and "Though the resolution is rushed, it is also satisfying." The School Library Journal wrote "Summer romance fun with substance describes not only this novel but also its scrumptious male lead." and "The characters are dynamic and realistic. Strong narrative pacing adds to the whole sun-kissed package, which is on par with authors such as Sarah Dessen and Deb Caletti."
