Review ~ The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan

The Boys of Summer (Summer, #1)Title: The Boys of Summer
Author: C.J. Duggan
Series: Summer #1
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Published: December 17th 2012






t 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.

Warning: sexual references, and occasional coarse language.
I could not help but snicker and giggle the whole way through this book!! I spent my teenage years in the 1990’s growing up in a small town in Australia, working a few shifts at the local pub and fell for a local guy too. Reminiscing about music and TV shows that I grew up with and dealing with small town drama!! That is the beginning of the similarities I had to this story and I loved reading every minute of it!

Tess has had a difficult high school experience and is keen for the summer holidays to begin. She is peer pressured by her best friends into working at the local pub for the summer. She is a quiet kind of girl who tries to live in the shadows and out of the spotlight, but this summer job changes her life for the better. It brings her out of her shell and she makes new friends that accept her for who she is.

I enjoyed how the whole story unfolded and learning about the crush Tess had on an older boy at such a young age. It was cute to see her stalkerish side and how she freezes when confronted by him. She has little guy experience and is not sure what to do or how to act, but she takes it like a trooper! It was great to see her open up and become a more confident person, but she makes mistakes only to get up and soldier on.

I liked all the side characters too. Ellie and Adam are great best friends and the three of them are close. They have supported each other through a lot of tough times. The ‘Onslow Boys’ are all amusing characters and are entertaining to read about. I cannot wait to read all their books as I grew quite attached to them all.

C.J. Duggan has written an enjoyable romance story and it was a realistic insight into Aussie life in the 1990’s!! I enjoyed how she wove it all together and I connected to all the characters easily. The story flowed at a great pace and I was flicking the pages as fast as I could, I was that engrossed by the story. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series that is set 4 years after this book!!




16 comments:

  1. Awesome review, and I love how you felt connected, Christy loves this series too and I snagged book one recently :)

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  2. ehehe sounds like one I could probably relate to as well, always awesome to find books like these :D

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  3. YEEEESSSS!!!!!!!!!!! I was almost afraid to scroll down to see what you thought of it. I couldn't bear it if you had disliked it. I love this series sooo much! I absolutely adore Sean and Amy in the next book. Hurry and read it!

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  4. Love, love, LOVE!!! Yay!!!

    Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction

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  5. *groans* I couldn't really read your review, Naomi, because I won this whole series from Brandee not long ago, and I am going to read it very soon! I'm so happy you gave it five stars, though :) Now I want it even more!!

    Have a fantastic Friday :)

    Lexxie @ (un)Conventional Bookviews

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  6. I LOVE THIS TOO, Naomi!! I loved all the 90's references - even if I was past my teens by that time. ;) And although I haven't been to Australia - yet - it felt really authentic to me. If you loved TBoS, you're gonna flip over An Endless Summer - it was my favorite of the 3. But that may be because I love Sean, even in TBoS. Happy Friday, girl!

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  7. Aw that's awesome Naomi! Always fun to be able to relate so well to a story and enjoy it giggles, snickers and all :) I've not read her before but it sounds like one I could definitely get into.

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  8. I can't believe it has taken me so long to read it! It was a fun one and now I'll have to read more!!

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  9. It is! It was so much fun! All the characters were great. Looking forward to more!

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  10. Haha!! It's ok, I loved it! It was loads of fun. I must read more, soon!!

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  11. Haha!! I know, I will have to read more in this series now!!

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  12. I hope you read it soon Lexxie! It was tonnes of fun!!

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  13. Hahaha!! I like all the guys, so I'm looking forward to the rest of the books, I just wished I started this series earlier!

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  14. I know! It is a great start to a fun series. The characters were great and I'm looking forward to more!

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  15. I know what you mean! I enjoy stories in other countries myself and it is always fun to be swept away in another world!! Thanks Lindy!

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  16. Great Review Naomi! This sounds like a fun book. I love the idea of the main character coming out of her shell, and becoming more confident! I love stories that deal with a childhood crush, and you have me curious about this story. I've never been to Australia, and like when stories take me to another place.


    Lindy@ A Bookish Escape

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