My Life With the Walter Boys book vs. series: 5 key differences 

My Life With the Walter Boys is a recently released teen drama series on Netflix, based on Ali Novak's book of the same name. The Netflix series centers on a family wherein some of the Walter brothers are adopted. For instance, Isaac and Lee are Walters' cousins, who are adopted into the family when their father is called up to serve in the military.

The Netflix adaptation of My Life With the Walter Boys does not, however, specifically reveal which of the Walter sons is officially adopted. It's crucial to remember that the series deviates somewhat from Novak's original story, which was first published on Wattpad.

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My Life With the Walter Boys: 5 key differences between the book and the series

1) Jackie's choice in the season finale

In the book, Jackie and Alex break up, and she and Cole decide that they will be together after Jackie gets back from New York. The events appear quite differently on screen, though.

Jackie is unable to gage their shared feelings when Alex tells her he loves her, and she kisses Cole shortly after, further complicating matters. Jackie departs for New York with her uncle before she has a chance to make amends with any of her brothers.

Whether or not viewers are familiar with the original material, this finale takes them by surprise and provides the opportunity for more investigation in season two of My Life with the Walter Boys.

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2) The importance of Katherine and George

A still from the series (image via Netflix)

In the Netflix adaption of My Life with the Walter Boys, Katherine (Sarah Rafferty) and George Walter (Marc Blucas) have greater screen time. The pair appears more frequently in the series than they do in Novak's book.

Halsall believed that the show wouldn't have as much appeal to a broader audience if it were limited only to teens.

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3) There is a missing Walter brother in the series

When she decided to adapt the book, one thing Halsall focused on was the cast of people in My Life with the Walter Boys. According to Halsall, she liked how the characters around the three leads in the love triangle were developed.

The number of brothers in the Walter family, however, is different from what is described in the novel. The series has one set of twin brothers, Danny and Cole, rather than the original two, which is a slight alteration. In Novak's book, another brother, Jordan, is a twin. However, Halsall decided to feature just one brother in the television version, but she doesn't say why.

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4) Cole and Alex are developed equally in the series

Halsall believed that the two Walter brothers' love triangle needed to be given additional nuance. Halsall made this choice to give viewers enough background information to become engaged and support which brother Jackie might choose, without making it seem like a given.

To do this, Halsall gave Alex a more endearing personality and a little more attention, since the book is more centered around Cole.

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5) The timing of Jackie and Cole's Kiss

A still from the series (image via Netflix)

The book portrays Cole as the obvious choice out of the two siblings Jackie finds herself in a romantic triangle with, and she spends a lot more time with him than with his brother Alex. As a result, the book's first kiss between Cole and Jackie happens earlier than in the series.

However, their first kiss occurs in the season finale of the Netflix adaption. When Jackie discovers Cole by himself, she discovers that he has fixed a piece of her deceased sister's property. Jackie is touched by the gesture of generosity, and the two kiss, leading to an unexpected conclusion that may surprise viewers.

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Season 1 of My Life With the Walter Boys is currently streaming on Netflix.