Blog Tour: Review of The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan

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It seemed only natural to nickname them the ‘Onslow Boys’. Every time they swaggered in the front door of the Onslow Hotel after a hard week’s work, their laughter was loud and genuine as they settled onto their bar stools. I peeked through the restaurant partition, a flimsy divider between my world and theirs. I couldn’t help but smile whenever I saw them, saw him ... Toby Morrison.

Quiet seventeen-year-old Tess doesn’t relish the thought of a summertime job. She wants nothing more than to forget the past haunts of high school and have fun with her best friends before the dreaded Year Twelve begins.

To Tess, summer is when everything happens: riding bikes down to the lake, watching the fireworks at the Onslow Show and water bomb fights at the sweltering Sunday markets.

How did she let her friends talk her into working?

After first-shift disasters, rude, wealthy tourists and a taunting ex-boyfriend, Tess is convinced nothing good can come of working her summer away. However, Tess finds unlikely allies in a group of locals dubbed ‘The Onslow Boys’, who are old enough to drive cars, drink beer and not worry about curfews. Tess’s summer of working expands her world with a series of first times with new friends, forbidden love and heartbreaking chaos.

All with the one boy she has never been able to forget.
It will be a summer she will always remember. 
Overall Thoughts:
Such a nice, pleasant, and fiery read that realistically chronicles a humanistic change of an awkward girl to an self-assured woman!

The Boys of Summer is about 17-year-old girl named Tess, who has spent her entire junior year of high school as being this shy, nervous, sheepish teenager. Once summer arrives, she's anxious to simply hang out with her two best friends, Ellie and Adam, at the lake, riding their bicycles, or laying out in the welcoming sun. Unfortunately for her, both of her friends have planned something completely different this time around; instead of lounging around, they've decided to get summer jobs at the Onslow Hotel, much to Tess's dismay. After some much-practiced puppy dog eyes and insistent begging, they are able to convince her to step outside of her comfort zone and attempt to try to have fun in an alien environment for once in her life, as an inexperienced employee.

At first, Tess feels like a total fish out of water, but as time progresses, she's able to finally find a certain rhyme and rhythm to her new day-to-day activities that she's never really known before. Suddenly, she finds herself laughing a little more freely; talking with less censorship; and... loving with no restraints. Little does she know, this will become the best summer of her entire life filled with action, thrills, and romance that will force her to abandon her wallflower-tendencies in pursuit of living life to the fullest!

What I liked about this book:
The very first thing I noticed about this book was the fact that the author really captured the voice of a timid, bashful teenager. Instead of some annoyingly false representation of teenagers that was concocted by an adult attempting to capture our feelings, I felt that Duggan's perception and voice was accurate and spot-on.

Also, I found myself really relating to Tess, on a personal level. I've definitely always been the more introverted and passive person that preferred to stay in the background, so it was nice to see Tess be the exact same way.

What I disliked about this book:
During the beginning and middle of the book, there are some instances in which you may or may not completely understand the character's motives, feelings, and/or decisions as much as you'd like. But I'm glad to say that the ending reveals all the answers to the questions you may (or may not) have while reading. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but just so you are aware: Your inquiries will be properly answered in due time.

Verdict:
I definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a sweet yet passionate adult romance!

An Endless Summer (Summer, #2) is the next book in this series!





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Carmen Shaw

Developer

Carmen N. Shaw is currently a biology major at Georgia State University. She is the owner and developer of the book blog, Understanding Carmen's Story.

2 comments:

  1. I like those covers! Very tasteful! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really want to read The Boys of Summer now!! Great review!

    We are also book twins right now! I am reading Divergent as well! How are you liking it so far?

    Tt@NeverEndingStories

    ReplyDelete

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