The My Life With The Walter Boys Book Ending Leaves Room For A Sequel

If you’ve been looking for something to fill the void left by The Summer I Turned Pretty, a new Netflix drama might be just what you need. Based on Ali Novak’s novel of the same name, My Life with the Walter Boys follows the teen love triangle that forms when Jackie, a sudden orphan, moves in with the family of her late mom’s friend, Katherine Walter — and develops romantic relationships with two of Katherine’s 12(!) children.

So, what happens in the My Life with the Walter Boys book? Here’s a summary of the 2014 novel, which began as a popular Wattpad story that Novak started writing when she was just 15 years old.

A Tragic Move

Jackie is in high school when she loses her parents and sister in a car accident, prompting her to move from New York City to the Walters’ ranch in Colorado. Jackie’s mom and Katherine were childhood friends, but the Walters are strangers to Jackie.

She’s subjected to several pranks and other struggles settling into the huge family. Cole — a popular senior football player who’s been sidelined due to an injury — initially gives her a hard time, but they soon grow close and even share a kiss during a game of truth-or-dare.

But Jackie also starts spending time with Alex, Cole’s younger brother and a gamer who is angry at Cole for seemingly stealing his girlfriend, Mary.

The Love Triangle Gets Messy

Ultimately, Jackie and Alex begin a relationship. But during the eldest Walter son’s wedding, Alex overhears a fight between Jackie and Cole — in which Jackie reveals that she “can’t control [her] feelings” around him.

Jackie later explains to Alex that he was the “safe” choice, and she dated him to avoid dealing with Cole. At the same time, Alex acknowledges that he might still have feelings for Mary.

The pair amicably end things, with Jackie resolving to return to the Walters after a trip to New York for the summer. Katherine, an artist, also paints a family mural with Jackie in it — cementing her place in the expansive brood.

An Open Ending?

In the car on the way to the airport, Cole stops Jackie and kisses her, making his true feelings known. He laments that he couldn’t get the timing right between them, but Jackie suggests that “maybe it will be” when she returns.

The ending leaves Jackie and Cole in a good place, while also making room for their story to continue — and according to Novak, that’s a real possibility. “In the past I’ve said there won’t be a published sequel. However, this might change if a ‘Walter Boys’ TV show happens,” the author wrote in an FAQ on her website.

Plus, in her Instagram announcement of the series, Novak noted that Netflix “picked up the first season of the show.” So theoretically, there could be more on the way if the streamer wants to continue Jackie and Cole’s love story.