Walter boys on Netflix: Why is the ending of the series different from the book?

This is one of the recent hits on Netflix: My Life with the Walter Boys has won over Netflix subscribers. Despite the mixed reviews, this teen romance series is topping the platform’s top viewership charts.

This rose-tinted tween fiction series The Summer When I Became Pretty reeks of romance, drama and sunshine, My Life with the Walter Boys tells the story of a love triangle between a teenager and two brothers. who is forced to live after the tragic death of his family.

Created by Melanie Halsall, this ten-episode fiction series is an adaptation of Ali Novak’s best-selling novel published in 2014. In My Life with the Walter Boys, Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez), a 15-year-old from New York, moves to Colorado with Walter’s family after the death of her parents and sister.

His mother’s best friend, Catherine (Sarah Rafferty), then becomes Jack’s guardian. The latter will live with Catherine’s children and nephews, who are very numerous. Among them are the nervous Alex (Ashby Gentry) and the mysterious Cole (Noah Lalonde), who will bring back Jack’s head.

Why is the ending of the series different from the book?

In the series, Jackie becomes Alex’s partner, even though she has feelings for Cole. She also feels blocked by Alex, who can’t respond to her “I love yous.” Her attraction to the blonde boy is such that she kisses him at the end of the first season.

But the young teenager doesn’t want to choose between the two boys and decides to return to New York with his uncle to start a new life, leaving Walter’s boys behind.

You should know that the ending of the book is different. In Ali Novak’s novel, Jack becomes Alex’s couple, but they break up after a while. He gets closer to Cole and promises that they will be a couple when he returns from New York.

If the showrunner chose a different ending than what he wanted “Surprise for everyone”, there is a good reason. he explained variety that he wanted to emphasize Jack’s independent character and break away from the stereotype of this love triangle:

“The idea I had in my head was that she wouldn’t get any boys — that she’s a successful young woman trying to make it on her own without romance.”

Thus, this outcome could be seen as the end of this story, but it could also open up the possibility of a sequel that explores Jack’s return to the Walter family. As of now, Netflix has not greenlit My Life with the Walter Boys for a Season 2, especially since Ali Novak has never published a second novel.

But the series’ success on the platform could give the writer or showrunner ideas for a new second season. And the open ending of the first season makes this potential sequel possible.

The series My Life with Walter Boys is available on Netflix.