Netflix’s latest release My Life with the Walter Boys follows a theme somewhat similar to The Summer I Turned Pretty, another romantic drama series. However, instead of one summer at the beach house, Jackie moves to her mother’s friend’s house indefinitely.

From being a perfect New York ‘it girl’ to becoming an orphan within the first five minutes of the series, Jackie is relocated to Colorado – her life altered forever.

Played by Nikki Rodriguez, 15-year-old Jackie Howard, the daughter of renowned designer Angelica Howard, is a sophisticated city girl.

After losing her parents and sister in a car crash she is left with only one goal in life – getting into Princeton. However, the drastic change from a metropolis to a village hinders her goals.

The series captures the innocence and raw emotions of Jackie as she learns to adapt from a small nuclear family of four to a large and boisterous family of eleven and from wealthy to getting by one day at a time.

My Life with the Walter Boys focuses on intricate details such as preserving the childhood fragile and heartbreaking spirit of Jackie while also showing her mature side.

The series emphasizes on Jackie’s personality. She is portrayed as a resilient yet shy, courageous yet considerate and independent person. Despite the drastic adaptation to her daily life, she strives to prove that she is capable of more than what circumstances have set forth for her. Despite the constant pranks at her new abode and bullying at school she continues to keep her head high.

Trying her best to blend in the background, Jackie becomes the centre of attention with her remarkable grades and outstanding performance in extracurricular activities. At home, she is at an advantage by getting privileges over the boys as a girl, which triggers more chaos.

The story, based on a book, illustrates the closely woven bonds in a family as well as the beauty of having a family.

Her guardian mother is played by the one and only Donna from Suits – Sarah Rafferty. A veterinary doctor by profession and mother to ten sons and a daughter she seems to have it all together. The actress brings a motherly feel to the series which makes the viewers believe that she could really be the mother of the kids.

The plot is relatively simple. However, it depicts the slow-paced yet technologically advanced household of the Walters.

Jackie’s life becomes complicated when Cole and Alex Walter simultaneously fall for her. At the same time, the Walters start going into a financial crisis as the trees on their property become infected. As the Walters start integrating Jackie into the family their own family starts having issues that affect their bonds with each other.

Compared to The Summer I Turned Pretty, the characters come across as mild. Their actions and dialogue delivery are more realistic.

While Cole is the popular guy at school, his struggle to fit in at home and obligations to perform chores like the rest of his siblings make him more human. The timid and nerdy yet charming personality of Alex is reflected in his quiet bookish poise.

At the farm, the mornings start with jogging, horse-riding and chores and are followed by afternoons of filming, music, television and phones. A delicate balance exists in real life where, despite the town being backwards in appearance, the individuals are living in a global hub – the information of the world at their fingertips guiding them towards their ambitions and goals.

The story, based on a published book, illustrates the closely woven bonds in a family as well as the beauty of having a family. The Netflix drama is a pleasant addition for a light watch on a weekend.

The writer is an undergraduate student of psychology at FC College, Lahore