{Review+Giveaway} The Boys of Summer by CJ Duggan

It seemed only natural to nickname them the ‘OnslowBoys’. Every time they swaggered in the front doorof 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 ofworking 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 course language.

I felt so bad for her at the start of the book when everyone was calling her tic tac Tess. I wanted to punch her stupid ex boyfriend in the face. He is such a jerk. But it’s not all bad for Tess. She has two really great friends that stuck up for her. I loved Adam and Ellie. Sure, they got into their little squabbles sometimes but they always bounced back from them in true friends style. Plus, when two or all three of them get together, they are a hoot! Adam gets them their summer jobs at a bar and restaurant and its their that they meet the Oslow boys. I really liked Sean, Toby, and Stan. I was surprised how much I ended up liking all of them. I thought for sure I would like one and tolerate the rest but they were each really different and adorable in their own ways. 

The great thing about this book is that you get a whole crew of characters to love. There is always something going on because I was really invested in all the characters story lines. Normally, I like the main character and her love interest and I will catch myself reading the other parts of the book a little faster, but here I loved everything so much that I didn’t speed read my way through any of the parts. 

If you are looking for a great contemporary romance book, look no further. This is it. I would say its new adult but maybe could pass for young adult. I liked the pacing of the story. Nothing felt rushed or forced. It really went through the whole summer. Tess got to know the guys and they really seemed to get Tess which I appreciated. The only critical thing I can even think of about this book is that a few times I was reading and I got confused about minor details. It was nothing major that affected the story but I remember once when they were all getting ready to go out on the boat, Ellie was super excited and then not. And I couldn’t figure out why. They said Stan canceled but I couldn’t find where it said he canceled anywhere until pages later when it was mentioned again in passing. It was just a small thing that caused a momentary confusion. But I am really grasping for straws here because I was completely captivated by The Boys Of Summer. I loved it. I loved every romantic, juicy, funny, and even frustrating moment of this book. The writing is excellent. CJ Duggan has a way of writing romance characters that have you dying to read more about them. I couldn’t get enough of the Boys Of Summer and I don’t think you will be able to either.

4.5/5 Gavels

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you enjoyed this post, please Subscribe to Book Briefs in a reader