The Boys of Summer (Summer, #1)

Mar 20, 2013 Sam rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Sam by: Jasprit

Shelves: favourite-boys, other, realistic-or-contemporary, romance

3.5 stars

The Boys of Summer is, in a sense, exactly what I’ve been craving at the moment, despite not realising it. This is the perfect sit-back-and-relax read that, even with its flaws, is sure to draw an easy smile to the face.

Set in an Australian town in the 1990s, C.J. Duggan’s novel focuses on three teenage friends, Adam, Ellie and Tess, and their summer together before the start of Year Twelve. Tess, our main character, is hardly thrilled at the prospect of a summertime job at the local pu...more 3.5 stars

The Boys of Summer is, in a sense, exactly what I’ve been craving at the moment, despite not realising it. This is the perfect sit-back-and-relax read that, even with its flaws, is sure to draw an easy smile to the face.

Set in an Australian town in the 1990s, C.J. Duggan’s novel focuses on three teenage friends, Adam, Ellie and Tess, and their summer together before the start of Year Twelve. Tess, our main character, is hardly thrilled at the prospect of a summertime job at the local pub, but is quickly roped into the idea by her two best friends. It’s while waitressing at the Onslow Hotel that she meets her long-time crush, 22-year-old Toby Morrison, and his small group of friends, who soon become known as the Onslow Boys. With this, we have a summer read that ticks all the boxes: laughter, friendship, sun and warmth. The Boys of Summer is quick and fun, and exactly as one might expect a book with such a premise to turn out.

The strongest (well, certainly my favourite) aspect of this story is the relationship between Adam, Ellie and Tess. Almost immediately, it is clear that Duggan understands this age group perfectly. The three have distinct personalities that complement each other well. Ellie is confident, outgoing and comfortable with the opposite sex. Tess is almost her opposite, a little more reserved and timid, but not lacking social skills. Adam is the glue; the clown that knows exactly what to say and when, someone who is full of witty comments and jokes. Despite the differences between them, this is a genuine and heart-felt friendship. It is the sort that can be valued.

The Onslow Boys provide another interesting look at friendship. Despite being five years older than Tess and her friends, there is a natural sense of camaraderie between the two groups. Romance is quick to follow for Ellie, and slowly, eventually, it reaches Tess too. Believe it or not, the 20-something men here are nice guys, mature when they need to be, but essentially young and care-free otherwise. With the banter and candid warmth effortlessly drifting between them and the girls, it is not too difficult appreciating the Onslow Boys’ role in this story. It is Toby Morrison that we get to know a little more than the others. Tess and Toby’s relationship is a sweet thing. There is a little of everything – light-hearted teasing, flirting, tension and seriousness. The romance is a large part of this book and Duggan, for the most part, weaves it into the plot nicely.

The issues I had with this book are all minor things, but there are quite a few of them, nonetheless. Towards the latter half of the book, the storyline takes a far more dramatic turn. This isn’t necessarily a fault, but something to note, particularly for those who prefer teenage drama to be kept to a minimum. Another is the fact Tess is, quite typically, a love interest magnet. Although this book is essentially triangle-free, an unrealistic number of boys show a romantic interest in her. Best-friend Adam even kisses her at one point, which is a little perplexing…

But, as mentioned, these are insignificant blemishes. The Boys of Summer is still a wonderful and much-appreciated break from weightier books. The sequel, An Endless Summer, is due out later this year, and I will keep it on standby for a rainy day.

(This review also appears on my blog)(less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Donna {Book Passion for Life} rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, arc, from-author, for-review, own, ya-contemporary-romance

Going into The Boys of Summer I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I’d heard it was good but I’ve recently been in a bit of a reading slum where nothing seems to be grabbing my attention, so I was hoping this wasn’t going to be the same and you know what, it wasn't at all. The Boys of Summer was everything I was hoping it would be and more.

The Boys of Summer is a flirty, fun and fantastic read – it’s easily up there with the likes of Jenny Han’s series, The Summer I Turned Pretty and it’s on...more

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Dec 11, 2012 Belinda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-endings, hot-leading-men, favorites, part-of-series, truly-madly-deeply-in-love

Super easy read, just what I needed on a hot summer day :)
Was not heavy in drama, or depressing at all.. so if you are looking for a pretty light hearted, humorous, easy going, (teensy bit of angst/drama) book then this is for you.

Sometimes you need a book that is not heavy in a drama and pointless incidents, but a good solid young adult book and I was not disappointed. I laughed, I gasped, I fanned myself, I teen girl'd squealed, I sighed, I grinned.. i did it all.

Great summer book to sink you...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Eunice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, contemporary, damn-gorgeous-males, out-2012, realistic-fiction, ya-romance, young-adult

3.75 stars

(Join giveaway HERE.)

I wouldn't have read this right away if I haven't been part of the blog tour which I actually forgot I signed up for until I, to my surprise, received a schedule for a tour stop. Haha! Yeah, it was during the few weeks before my practicum ended and my blogging schedule was really a mess. But now, I'm so glad I am part of this tour and that I'll be able to share you how much I enjoyed this book because The Summer Boys is definitely a very lovely read!

It's been quite...more 3.75 stars

(Join giveaway HERE.)

I wouldn't have read this right away if I haven't been part of the blog tour which I actually forgot I signed up for until I, to my surprise, received a schedule for a tour stop. Haha! Yeah, it was during the few weeks before my practicum ended and my blogging schedule was really a mess. But now, I'm so glad I am part of this tour and that I'll be able to share you how much I enjoyed this book because The Summer Boys is definitely a very lovely read!

It's been quite a while since the last time I read a summer book. The Boys of Summer was definitely a good way to start with them. A lot of my GR friends have enjoyed this very much so I was really excited to start this. And to realized that this book isn't just some ordinary contemporary book, but a summer read, set in Australia, in the 90's (!) is definitely a very very good treat and encouragement to read this book.

The characters of this book are very fascinating to read about. Every one of them complimented each other and made this book shine and stand out. They carried the story very well and have provided so much amusement and laughter in me. Tess was a fantastic MC. The development and changes she'd gone through with the help of her friends and the Onslow boys and how she realized and learned things about herself were very admirable. She had her frustrating moments too but I'm glad how she reflected on it in the end.

The Onslow boys are the gem of this book! Haha! They just made this book feel more summery and light. Full of easy banters, teasing and laughter. Even with the age difference they had with Ellie and Tess they treated them with so much respect. They treated them like equal and not like they're just some naive teenage girls but still took great care of them.

After reading this I felt like I just had my own summer in Onslow! I enjoyed going through different experiences Tess, Ellie, Adam and the Onslow Boys had in their summer. The friendship they formed and the lessons they learned with it was wonderful. The romantic build-up between Toby and Tess too was really sweet. Although I think the conflict around the last part felt a bit too dramatic and frustrating, I'm glad how they pass through with it and how it strengthened more their relationship.

This book is such a lovely summer read. I would gladly recommend this to everyone! Read this. :)

Thank you YA Bound and C.J. Duggan for providing me a copy of this book.

This review is also posted at Book Overdose. (less)

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Mar 10, 2013 Sylvia (Heinzypop) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-authors, bad-boys-for-the-red-room, books-that-make-me-rawr, indie-authors, na-contemporary-romance, romance, new-adult

I won this and can't wait to get it!! EEEEPPPP

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Okay, after my initial shock of winning this book I was eager to get stuck into it, not really knowing what it was about and who this author was. And then, as I began to read it I was so taken aback by the fact that it was was written by a fellow Aussie! I was so excited to read it even more and I was suddenly laughing out loud and whisked back into the 90's (ahem yes, that's my high school years LOL). This book is so much fun and...more I won this and can't wait to get it!! EEEEPPPP

*******************

Okay, after my initial shock of winning this book I was eager to get stuck into it, not really knowing what it was about and who this author was. And then, as I began to read it I was so taken aback by the fact that it was was written by a fellow Aussie! I was so excited to read it even more and I was suddenly laughing out loud and whisked back into the 90's (ahem yes, that's my high school years LOL). This book is so much fun and I loved that I could totally relate to it on so many levels. The slang and witty banter was effortless and the Aussie culture was so evident. It is marvellous to read books by Aussie authors. I swear, my hubby kept looking over at me and wondering why I was grinning and laughing so much. I kept telling him that this is so Aussie LOL and he knew what I meant. Any Aussie who read this would know exactly why I would think it.

The Boys of Summer is set in a rural town called Onslow. A town where there is one main street, one petrol station, one pub/hotel, where all the locals hang out and have fun. Any typical rural town in Australia. So, it's not very unusual that high schoolers hang out with an older crowd! Hey, even in our suburbs here we tended to do that also. Anyways, Tess, our reserved and shy main character, has just finished Year 11 and wants nothing else but to just chill out all summer with her two best friends, Adam and Ellie (the supposed easy girl in school). Until, they both convinced her that it would be better if they worked instead. She reluctantly agrees to being a waitress at the Onslow Hotel, but if it meant earning some cash and hanging out with her friends, she would do it. Never in her wildest dreams would it be absolutely life changing on so many levels. She would finally emerge into the young woman she was always meant to be. No longer was she the wallflower she worked hard to be, but the brash and confident Tess who had even her crush, the older and sexy Toby Morrison, noticing her, for all the right reasons. I loved how their relationship was full of flirtatious banter and subtle tenderness. And when it was hot, it really was hot...nom nom nom!! Toby was reserved in his own right, but so confident at the same time, without going overboard. In fact, he is your typical Aussie young man and I liked that!

I really enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend that everyone take a chance and dive into a book that will take you to another place that captures the life of your average teenager in a rural town in Australia. The daggy parents, the slaggy best friend, the flip flops, the dry humping in the back of a ute (LOL several times over at the dry humping), the music of the 90's and the mere mention of Monkey Magic made me crack up laughing...I love the many references to Pop Culture of that time. Take a chance on an Aussie book, you will love discovering all of this, I know I loved remembering it. Can't wait to read the next instalment!
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Dec 19, 2012 Hannah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-in-a-series, hot-boys-alert, indie-author-love, new-adult, the-pile-of-favourites, ya-contemporary

I cannot begin to describe the love I have for this book. Let's just say if a book can keep you up all night until the sun rises and you can hear your neighbours go to work, then it's definitely a winner. I really don't know how this book escaped my attention, as it's exactly the type that appeals to me. Plus the author is Australian! Where have I been living? Anyway, I found it, I waited (very impatiently) until payday, I bought it and I read it. But no, the buck doesn't stop there.

Welcome to...more I cannot begin to describe the love I have for this book. Let's just say if a book can keep you up all night until the sun rises and you can hear your neighbours go to work, then it's definitely a winner. I really don't know how this book escaped my attention, as it's exactly the type that appeals to me. Plus the author is Australian! Where have I been living? Anyway, I found it, I waited (very impatiently) until payday, I bought it and I read it. But no, the buck doesn't stop there.

Welcome to the town of Onslow, where the population doesn't go past 3000 unless it's the summer. Tess, who lives in the shadows of her two best friends, Ellie and Adam, gets roped in to working shifts at the local hotel during the summer between Year Eleven and Twelve. At first Tess is reluctant - all she wants is the perfect summer with her besties, not to be harassed by tourists. All that changes when she meets the Onslow Boys - the gorgeous, older guys that hang around the hotel playing pool. Including Toby Morrison, the guy she's had a secret crush on for years.

Everything about this book is perfect. Where to start? The characters. Tess is your average seventeen year old, trying to find her place in the world. A disastrous break up with her ex has left her with a horrible nickname and confident levels heading into the minus. But break her out of her shell and she's witty, loquacious and amazing at banter. My perfect girl. Then there's Toby, who has, as Tess so nicely puts it, more mood changes than four seasons in one day. But what I love about Toby is he's not like other boys in 'Mature YA/NA novels' who have chips on their shoulders larger than Texas. He's sexy, funny and witty. He's shy around people he doesn't know, but opens up to those he does. Yeah, he's perfect. I could go on and on about everybody else, but in order not to make this review ten pages long, let's just say that everyone else was perfect. From Tess's best friends Ellie and Adam, who all had their unique attributes and the Onslow Boys - where can I meet a set of them? Puh-lease? I really felt for Sean as well, and definitely think that he needs his own spin off series!

The whole story and plot line was amazing. Not once did it lag, or seem like the storyline was going around in circles (like I've noticed some books do). There was a great amount of tension and romance to light hearted bantering, and C.J. has an amazing talent for keeping the reader entranced in the story. I hadn't actually realized too, that the story was set in the 1990s until they started belting out to Wonderwall like it was Gangham Style. The carefree, lazy summer days reminded me so much of my own childhood and what I loved about summer the most (okay, I wasn't their age in the 1990s, but we still silly danced to Kung Foo Fighting too!). CJ captured the perfect summer romance, one that twisted my heart into a million pieces. I loved all the little quips that came from Tess and her friends, a couple of my favourite liners being:

"Tess, it's Onslow. People go to the opening of an envelope, seriously, what is there to do in this town?"

"Toby was behind the wheel. It wasn't a serial killer, it was Toby. "Oh thank God it's you! I thought you were a murderer."

The Boys of Summer is a story about self discovery and first true love that will stay with you for a long time after you read it. It will leave you delirious, as if you are experiencing Tess's emotions yourself, and when the book ends you'll have come out of the most amazing dreams ever! A perfect summer read, I know that all I will be doing for the next couple of months is re-reading this, waiting for my own Toby to come along. In the mean time, I'll just wait for the second book in the series, which will more than likely come before Toby does!

Watch out Melina Marchetta, CJ Duggan is in town and she's ready to claim the Queen of Australian YA title!(less)

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Jan 17, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tess has an ex-boyfriend from hell who bullies her and gave her a flat chested nick name. She lives in her best friend Ellie's shadow. When summer begins her friend Adam talks her into working at a restaurant instead of spending her time at the lake like she wanted. Tess's summer starts off rather bad and she is feeling down. The first 12% was a bit slow but sometimes slow beginnings are a necessary evil especially with this book. It gave me a chance to get to know Tess which really helped me un...more Tess has an ex-boyfriend from hell who bullies her and gave her a flat chested nick name. She lives in her best friend Ellie's shadow. When summer begins her friend Adam talks her into working at a restaurant instead of spending her time at the lake like she wanted. Tess's summer starts off rather bad and she is feeling down. The first 12% was a bit slow but sometimes slow beginnings are a necessary evil especially with this book. It gave me a chance to get to know Tess which really helped me understand her actions and feelings later on in the book.

As soon as she runs into Toby Morrison I was completely hooked. This was summer romance crack! So addicting and I just couldn't get enough of this one. Toby is Tess's lifelong crush but he is older and has a girlfriend. Toby and his friends nick named "The Onslow Boys" hang out at the restaurant where Tess and Ellie work. Tess and Ellie spend a lot of time hanging out with them and partying. It felt like one of my summers. I worked at a restaurant for my first job and definitely felt Tess's stress. But she gets to see "The Onslow Boys" so soon it's what she is looking forward to. If I had a group of hot boys hanging out at my restaurant it would have definitely made working more fun.

Toby was hard to read at first. I knew he had feelings for Tess and he dropped little hints. His girlfriend was a bit of a nightmare so eventually he does dump her but I guess I was hoping for it sooner. It was hard for me to watch Tess in pain but I felt Tess and Toby grow so much as friends first which always makes a relationship feel that much more real and special. The book dealt really honestly, realistically, and openly about sex and Tess losing her virginity. There was a lot of relationship insecurities though and that goes back to the beginning of the book. Tess still doesn't trust Toby wants her. Tess and Toby never had "The Talk" so Tess makes some mistakes but I always felt they were right and good for each other. Even though Toby is a little bit older it never bothered me.

Ellie was a fun best friend but she really bothered me at times. She was hiding so much but then when Tess didn't want to give her every little detail of her relationship she kind of blew up. Ellie does grow a lot during the book as well. I loved seeing each character grow and change over the summer. Ellie also begins dating one of The Onslow Boys and has her own journey to being confident in a relationship. Even though it was sad and aggravating watching the characters make these mistakes it felt real. First loves are full of a lot of confusion and insecurities. It is hard finding your way in making your first relationship work. I need to squeeze some talk about Sean in here. He was another Onslow Boy and even though the book never really takes a love triangle route I always loved him. He was so much fun and so sweet to Tess that at times I wanted something to happen with them. There were times when I thought something would happen and almost did but Tess's heart was always with Toby and that is where it belonged. The sequel will be a summer reunion four years in the future! I must say I am scared and excited to see where everyone ends up!

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What do you say in times like this? "Thanks for last night"? "You were great"? "We should really do this again sometime"? "Thanks for taking my virginity"?
Not that one.

"For a brief moment, you made me believe that I was a somebody, that, above all, I wasn't like the other girls. And I'm not." I stepped forward, so he could hear me over the music. "I know it really doesn't seem that way. And it kills me that I let you down, that I did something so stupid because I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I don't want you thinking I am anything other than who I am, who you got to know this summer."
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*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review*(less)

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Dec 16, 2012 Lesley (My keeper shelf) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-love-aussie-ya, favourites-2012

I stayed up until 2:37am to finish The Boys of Summer to say I was gripped would be a massive understatement. I swooned, I cried, I laughed and then I swooned a little bit more. At 70% I had to physically put it down to wipe away a little tear after shouting a gigantic "Noooooo!!" at my poor kindle. I loved it, and then I loved it some more.

A real coming of age story, Tess has lived in the shadow of her gorgeous boy crazy BFF Ellie and cool but thoroughly likeable Adam. Tess is hoping that a laz...more I stayed up until 2:37am to finish The Boys of Summer to say I was gripped would be a massive understatement. I swooned, I cried, I laughed and then I swooned a little bit more. At 70% I had to physically put it down to wipe away a little tear after shouting a gigantic "Noooooo!!" at my poor kindle. I loved it, and then I loved it some more.

A real coming of age story, Tess has lived in the shadow of her gorgeous boy crazy BFF Ellie and cool but thoroughly likeable Adam. Tess is hoping that a lazy and fun filled summer will let her forget about the cruel torments from moron ex-boyfriend Scott. Instead, Adam talks Tess and Ellie into working at Onslow hotel where they will be at the mercy of posh tourists and excessive dish washing before he breaks his arm and finds himself packed off to his Nan's house. To Tess the summer looks utterly bleak until the Onslow boys arrive at the hotel's pool room. Tess has crushed on Toby Morrison since forever, but he has a perky blonde girlfriend and Tess has always happily blended into the scenery. But with Onslow Boys Tobey, Stan, Sean and Ringer around Tess's life as a wall flower will change forever and she will never forget this summer. Filled with humour, flirtyness and some seriously heart breakingly good romantic moments The Boys of Summer absolutely blew me away, it's a must read.

My initial thoughts after finishing The Boys of Summer were something along the lines of "I wonder how much exactly an airfare to Australia is?" because I want to live in a town like Onslow (even though I know in my head it's a made up Aussie town). I also want Tess's sense of humour and her ability to deliver the best one liners ever "Remember, boys, hands off your nuts." made me honestly, snort with laughter. Her ability to initially blurt out unintentionally suggestive comments around the Onslow boys which resulted in her cringing even more inside made me love her even more. I also want a best pal like Adam who's adorable and totally on Tess's side, his emails back and forth to Tess had me laughing out loud. I really did want to kick Tess's ex-boyfriend the truly cruel and spineless Scott right up the backside. But most of all, I want an Onslow boy of my own. I really, really wanted to steal head Onslow boy Toby E Morrison because he is undoubtedly the most swoon worthy character I've read in ages. New book boyfriend? why yes, I think so.

Self published by C.J. herself, The Boys of Summer is polished, beautifully written and full of heart. I've loved C.J.'s style of writing since I discovered her on the interwebz, her blog posts are always full of win ranging from her journey as a writer to hilarious posts about her guilty pleasures such as the love of pretty cushions for decorative effect to the crane move in Karate Kid. C.J. has transferred her witty conversational style and ability to tell the most amazing story into her debut novel The Boys of Summer. As a reader I could absolutely picture Onslow in my head, those lazy summer bike rides, swimming at the lake and the towns fireworks display and I thought the supporting characters she created (not just the Onslow boys although I did love them the most!) really added to the story. I have to say though I'm really hoping C.J. writes Sean's story I loved him to bits!

The Boys of Summer is now up there as one of my favourite Aussie YA books alongside Melina Marchetta's Saving Francesca and Cath Crowley's Graffiti Moon and it absolutely deserves to be there. If I could give it a squillion stars I would. It's a must read.

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Jan 01, 2013 Kenzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: story-telling-challenge

This book was actually a 4.5 for me. Just clarifying ;)

How I acquired this book: Oh, the power of Amazon~ I was browsing through their wonderful book section and came upon it. The real reason I even noticed it was because I'm doing a story book challenge (if you are reading this on Goodreads you'll see it on my story book challenge shelf) and this weeks challenge was to read a book with your ideal guy/girl on the cover. So, when I saw Toby I was like yes Yes YES! Mainly cuz he looked slightly li...more This book was actually a 4.5 for me. Just clarifying ;)

How I acquired this book: Oh, the power of Amazon~ I was browsing through their wonderful book section and came upon it. The real reason I even noticed it was because I'm doing a story book challenge (if you are reading this on Goodreads you'll see it on my story book challenge shelf) and this weeks challenge was to read a book with your ideal guy/girl on the cover. So, when I saw Toby I was like yes Yes YES! Mainly cuz he looked slightly like one of my long standing crushes.... *blushes* So that was that.

Characters: One of the things I loved most about this book was the character development. Tess went from this shy high school girl that would do anything to rid herself of her embarrassing nickname, to this responsible young woman who was suddenly confident. Most books in YA don't usually do character development so much anymore. Ellie was adorable, she reminded me of my friend, minus her image, and I never even guessed what she was going to tell Tess! Toby was hilarious, his mood swings annoyed me slightly, and another thing that seemed to bug me for some odd reason was that fact almost whenever we saw him he had a beer in hand. Sean was nice and funny too, and I LOVED Adam! He was so funny and awesome!

Plot: I love those kind of stories, you know, the ones were it's set in a small town and everyone knows everyone. I've always wished I lived in a town like that for some reason. So it was quite nice feeling like I was visiting one. The plot was easy but good, slightly predictable in areas but not cliche in the slightest. It was hilarious and I was dying of laughter so many times! (yeah, I've been resurrected at least 10x now ~zombie~ XD) It's definitely a good easy read and even though this is a mature ya, it didn't have a million details like some others i have read. I absolutely fell in love this book and can not wait for the next!

The Ending: Based on all above, there's absolutely no way that I won't read the second one! Can't wait~

Check out my blog: http://theread-a-holic.blogspot.com/(less)

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Jan 13, 2013 Mandee rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie, kindle-version, aussieya2012, aww2012, contemporary-fiction, e-book-version, female-pov, i-have-a-copy, realistic-fiction, summer-reads, ya-lit, december-2012-release, review-on-the-blog

3.5

The Boys of Summer by C.J Duggan is set in the fictional Aussie town of Onslow. Seventeen year old Tess McGee and her best friends, Ellie and Adam, have just finished year eleven and are looking forward to summer. Well, Tess isn't, because instead of spending all summer hanging out at the lake, Ellie and Adam have convinced her to start her first job with them at the local hotel & restaurant. It’s while at work that she starts getting to know her long-time crush, twenty-two year old Toby,...more 3.5

The Boys of Summer by C.J Duggan is set in the fictional Aussie town of Onslow. Seventeen year old Tess McGee and her best friends, Ellie and Adam, have just finished year eleven and are looking forward to summer. Well, Tess isn't, because instead of spending all summer hanging out at the lake, Ellie and Adam have convinced her to start her first job with them at the local hotel & restaurant. It’s while at work that she starts getting to know her long-time crush, twenty-two year old Toby, and the summer turns out to be far more interesting that Tess imagined.

I hadn't even heard of this book until a couple of weeks ago and all I needed to know was that it was by an Aussie author and I knew I had to read it. I have to admit at first I thought I’d made a mistake. The beginning introduces us to the characters in their last few days of school for the year and there is a flash back to a year ago when Tess’ ex-boyfriend, Scott, started a mean nickname for her and she started getting tormented. Unfortunately for Tess, the teachers do nothing about it, even though they’re aware. The story then jumps to the present and another bullying incident but then school is over and they go off to their summer job. The nickname and the bullying does come up later when Scott and his mates show up at a party, but it never felt fully resolved. The introduction felt a little disjointed to me, compared to the rest of the story, although it did provide an accurate look at Tess’ personality. But that was really my only issue, it slowed down the story for me, and now I've got it out of the way, let’s takes a look at the rest of the story!

Tess is a bit of a worrier, a little clumsy, and quite shy. She’s not like Ellie, who is outgoing and boy-crazy. And she’s not as funny or entertaining as Adam, but their friendship dynamic felt real, I truly believed these three were the best of friends. Working at the hotel gets her out her out of her shell, as does talking to the group of guys that Ellie nicknames The Onslow Boys, in particular, Toby.

Toby has a girlfriend, but that doesn't stop him and Tess from accidentally bumping into each other once or twice, or hanging out at the lake or parties after work. The chemistry between them was palpable, it was clear he liked her, despite not being available. I liked getting to know The Onslow Boys, at first they all seem similar, but there are differences between them, I thought Stan and Ellie were a sweet couple, and Sean was a good friend to Tess.

The sex in the story is discussed in a responsible way. Ellie often disappears at parties with guys and is quite confident in herself, despite the fact that Tess worries that people are talking about her. Tess even buys a condom one day, just in case, and that isn't usually mentioned in books about teens having sex, and it sets a good example.

I wondered as I read this, if perhaps it was set in the nineties? It’s never mentioned, but the book has a nostalgic feel to me and some of the music references (like Live’s Lightening Crashes) reminded me of the 90s. And there’s a reference to The Beatles, Labyrinth and David Bowie - bonus!

I thought the ending was well done, it could have been much more forced but instead it concludes book one in a satisfying way, but leaves room to wonder about what happens later on in the sequel, which is set a few years later.

The Boys of Summer is a fun, summer read featuring a bunch of mischievous teens and twentysomethings, becoming friends, hanging out and figuring out what they want from life and each other.(less)

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May 18, 2013 Tandie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: brain-candy-fluff, friends-liked, young-adult, contemporary, imaginary-boyfriends, bow-chicka-wow-wow, romantical, surprise-sucka-im-good, to-review

I want to be part of the incredible friendship circle that Ellie, Tess, & Adam have. They were so loyal & honest with each other. They've grown up together. There's one scene that I adored, and it was kind of weird. Adam has been exiled to his Nan's house as punishment for a few weeks. He comes to visit Ellie & Tess one weekend and is caught by surprise seeing Tess in a skimpy bikini, laughing with a couple of gorgeous guys. (Ellie has been pushing Tess to come out of her shell, tric...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Dani (Pen to Paper) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books, kindle

Like this review? I have more! Check out my blog, Pen to Paper.

I first heard about this book when a blogger friend of mine reviewed it, and rated it pretty highly. The first thing that grabbed me about the book was the cover - but not just because it's so pretty - because it also looked like just the kind of book I needed to read at the time. Reading the synopsis confirmed that. When I finally started reading it, I knew I'd made the right decision.

I fell in love with this story from the very fir...more Like this review? I have more! Check out my blog, Pen to Paper.

I first heard about this book when a blogger friend of mine reviewed it, and rated it pretty highly. The first thing that grabbed me about the book was the cover - but not just because it's so pretty - because it also looked like just the kind of book I needed to read at the time. Reading the synopsis confirmed that. When I finally started reading it, I knew I'd made the right decision.

I fell in love with this story from the very first chapter - the writing is warm, friendly and easy to read, and it drew me immediately into Tess' story. However, what really made this love at first read were the characters - Tess and her two best friends, Ellie and Adam.
They all came across as instantly real and loveable, and I couldn't help but want to hang out with them - luckily, by reading the book, that's exactly what I got to do!
I really enjoyed the friendship that the three of them had - their personalities seemed both to fit and balance each other out nicely. Adam definitely made me laugh, but he's not just the joker of the trio, as he proved with a certain locker-related revenge stunt he pulled, defending Tess. Ellie was equally supportive, and it really warmed my heart to see three teens who would do so much for one another.

Of course, the friendship between Tess, Ellie and Adam is all very well and good, but what I also wanted and couldn't wait for, was the arrival of the infamous Onslow boys! Fortunately, I didn't have long to wait!
They are a lot older than the trio of friends we've already met, being in their early twenties, but the two groups get on brilliantly straight away, and they almost become one big group. Almost, but not quite. There were always going to be a few bumps in the road, and one of them is Angela Vickers, the not-so-pleasant girlfriend of Toby Morrison, the Onslow boy that Tess can't tear her eyes away from. Could it be possible that, despite the beautiful girlfriend, Toby feels the same way about Tess? Does it matter, when there's a girlfriend in the picture? I hoped all the way through that something would happen so that Tess and Toby could get closer. The chemistry between the two of them throughout the book was intoxicating, especially when certain creases had been ironed out, and I honestly couldn't help but feel the same nervous butterflies that Tess did every time they were together.

I really enjoyed the way that Tess' character evolved because of Toby and the Onslow boys. She started off as quite a shy character, not wanting to draw attention to herself, happy to let her friends be the bright lights beside her, and describing herself as a wallflower. She was quite content with that. But once she, Ellie and Adam get a job at the Onslow hotel for the summer, and they meet the Onslow boys, (after some gentle persuasion from Ellie) Tess started to come out of her shell, which was awesome to see. Obviously change wasn't going to come without its drama, but this made things more interesting, and Tess just grew all the more because of this drama.
I don't want to give any more away about the character relationships, though, because the twists and turns that they take are what makes this book so good!

I found the setting for the story particularly interesting - not just because it's set in Australia (a place that I don't often read about) - but also because it's set during the 1990s. I thought having a contemporary romance set twenty years ago was a really interesting idea, but I'm not quite so sure that it's one I fully understand the motive behind. There didn't seem to be much point to this, and I think the story would have remained essentially the same had it been set now.
I suppose it was interesting imagining the story set during the decade in which I was born and grew up, though, and it was definitely a choice that makes the novel unique.

Overall I really enjoyed this novel - it had everything a YA contemporary romance needs; a well-rounded, loveable group of characters (with a couple of exceptions, to provide conflict and drama), a beautiful, summery setting, a smoking-hot group of boys and some seriously steamy chemistry!
It was the breath of fresh air that I needed.
If you're a fan of YA contemporary, or romance, you definitely need to pick this up - it'll have you laughing and blushing all at once, and it'll definitely warm your heart!
A fabulous and fun read, perfect for the coming summer months!(less)

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Apr 14, 2013 Serena rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

BY FAR one of the best books I've read all year...so far. I was extremely disappointed with Lola and the Boy next door by Stephanie Perkins, and this was a rebound book. It's perfect in that teen-summer way that I think everyone has a deep spot for! I adore this book, I love this concept and grew fond of all the characters very quickly. I loved the relationship that Tess, Ellie, and Adam had with each other--I was envious! Perfection. I cannot wait for the second book. Lately, I've been reluctan...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Abby leisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

WOOOOWW ! I ACTUALLY CANNOT EXPLAIN MY LOVE I HAD FOR THIS BOOK! I WILL DEFFINATLEY READ THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN!! AMAAAAZIINGGGGGGG!
this book really gave me goosebumps and made me laugh and cry and everything! best of all it was australian! yaay first ever book from my own country! ahha
the cover of this book was also really cute and i have not wanted a second book this much and cannot wait to read the next serioulsy!
NEGATIVES:
ABSOLUTLEY NOOOOOONNNNNNEEEEEEEE!!!!

POSITIVES:
1. i loved tess's and tob...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Debbie (at) I Heart YA Books rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tours-books, favorites

The Boys of Summer is going to be hard review for me to write while trying not to give any spoilers. So I'm going to try to keep this review short and to the point of what I loved. First, I absolutely loved everything about this novel; the humorous storyline, the grab-you-by-the-heartstrings romance, the gorgeous, fun-loving Australian Onslow Boys, Tess, the main character who actually has a brain and uses it, and the author C.J. Duggan, who can write a strong storyline and also a hot, steamy s...more

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Apr 25, 2013 Michelle Sedeño rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-4-5-stars

Wow. I honestly didn't expect for this book to be awesome. I LOVE IT.
Review to come!

UPDATE! FULL REVIEW:

Originally reviewed on Michelle Shouts Random.

Rating: 4.5

***

Unlike other books, I didn't have any expectations from this one. AToMR Tours is touring The Boys of Summer and I was like, why not? This sounds cool. So I signed-up for the tour for review. Unfortunately, I've been busy with school that time that's why I lost track of my tbr for review so I asked to do a feature post instead. I pro...more Wow. I honestly didn't expect for this book to be awesome. I LOVE IT.
Review to come!

UPDATE! FULL REVIEW:

Originally reviewed on Michelle Shouts Random.

Rating: 4.5

***

Unlike other books, I didn't have any expectations from this one. AToMR Tours is touring The Boys of Summer and I was like, why not? This sounds cool. So I signed-up for the tour for review. Unfortunately, I've been busy with school that time that's why I lost track of my tbr for review so I asked to do a feature post instead. I promised though that I will review this book after the busy-ness of the semester.

Reading this book was a complete surprise. I was surprised because I don't have high expectations or such. You know the feeling when you see a random thing and you get it but not really wanting it? That's the story. If you would ask me, this book wasn't on top of my list. But since I've been reading a lot of dystopians that time, I grabbed the opportunity so I could taste some contemporary for a while. Little did I know, this isn't just a contemporary romance that you'll feel 'okay' or 'so-so'. You know the feeling when that random thing you got but not really wanted made you fall in love? Made you love it and like it saved some part of you? That's the feeling. I am in love with this book.

I am hesitant about liking this book at first because the main character, Tess, didn't do anything for me to well..like her. But as the story goes on, I picked up the pace and I really feel like I'm in the novel. Like I'm the one lusting--I mean, crushing over Toby. *coughs* One more reaaally good thing is that there is no love triangle. No, not exactly. Yay! Love triangles are satiating. Even though there's a person in "history", it doesn't make it puke-worthy because neither Tess nor Toby has to choose hard between him and him or her and her. This is not a spoiler! I'm just telling you this in case you're wondering about the love triangle thing.

Tess' and Toby's situation got me. It's because I can somehow relate to their story. Crushing over a matured guy with a girlfriend? Oh, I do sound like a school girl that way. No chances. Like, ever. But I'm so glad to know that they had a happy ending (even though I don't think I'll have that with the guy I'm crushing. *sobs* kiddin). Again, this is not a spoiler! You know, of course, that this will eventually have a happy ending right? Now you just have to figure out their whole story. That's not my place to tell. You can grab the book (or buy it first) after reading this review. :P

The Boys of Summer is the perfect contemporary romance summer read. But hey, who says you can only enjoy this during summer? You can enjoy this anytime! It is sweet, sexy, cute and adorable. It made me fall in love and hope for a brighter side of certain suckiness in life. Yes, even that guy I'm crushing on is in a relationship with a girl I don't think he'll ever break up to. (I realized this is the first time I talk about this! Let's keep this between the two of us, 'kay? :D) This book also made me laugh! I think you'll love this too.

P.S I am so glad and excited to hear there's book two! I think it's a companion novel, but who cares? As long as it's something from the same author and same crowd, I'm on. ;)(less)

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Feb 05, 2013 Carmen Jenner rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: holy-mother-of-swoon, my-favourite-boyfriend-of-the-year, protagonist-love, read-in-2013, favourites

Review first published at Book Me!

*E-copy provided by author C. J Duggan in exchange for an honest review, with thanks!*

Until recently I'd classed myself as a para-girl, if there wasn't some type of mythical creature lurking in the darkness, or sometimes being the darkness itself, I really wasn't interested.
Then I got my grubbies on some divinely dramatic contemporary novel (I don't really remember which one, there's been too many to count) and the paranormal stories just seemed . . . less, some...more

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Feb 19, 2013 Evie rated it 5 of 5 stars

First reaction: Absolutely delightful! Sweet, sexy and hot, but also thoughtful, funny and clever! One of the best romantic stories I've read since Stealing Parker and Pushing The Limits!
Full review to come!

Full Review:
**WARNING: This review might contain spoilers and an unhealthy dose of rave*

The Boys of Summer is a wonderful example of just how deliciously sexy, sweet and charming summer fling books can be! A book that gives you goose-bumps, makes you swoon over its incredibly handsome male...more First reaction: Absolutely delightful! Sweet, sexy and hot, but also thoughtful, funny and clever! One of the best romantic stories I've read since Stealing Parker and Pushing The Limits!
Full review to come!

Full Review:
**WARNING: This review might contain spoilers and an unhealthy dose of rave*

The Boys of Summer is a wonderful example of just how deliciously sexy, sweet and charming summer fling books can be! A book that gives you goose-bumps, makes you swoon over its incredibly handsome male cast, gets you hooked on the clever plot line and, ultimately, sends you out feeling all warm inside, satisfied and with a wide smile on your face.

It's summer and all that seventeen-year-old Tess really feels like doing is hanging out at the lake with her besties, Adam and Ellie. Her version of a perfect summer break includes soaking up the sun, swimming in the cool water, partying and having a fun time with her friends. Her friends, though? Well, they have something entirely different in mind! When Adam and Ellie come up with the idea of getting a summer job at the local hotel (the Onslow Hotel), Tess does not share their excitement. Last thing she wants is to slave away the precious summer days at a dingy hotel, trying to overcome her shyness and social awkwardness to make a few bucks. And the last thing she expects to find there is a new social circle, exciting late-night parties and.. love. What can I say? Life can be full of surprises sometimes!

Let me start by saying that all the characters in this book are great! The chemistry between them - and not only between Toby and Tess, but also between the secondary cast - is charged with incredible energy, sparkly and spine-tingling. I love summer flings, for they are always so exciting, so light and fluffy. Simply delicious to devour. The Boys of Summer is all that, yes, but it's also so much more than just an entertaining little book. It's clever, thought-provoking and it touches on more serious topics, including losing one's virginity, dealing with social/peer pressure, staying true to oneself and the people around you, all the while trying to figure out if following your heart is the right choice. I especially loved the fact that all the secondary characters were developed with just as much care as the lead ones. I must admit, I strongly disliked Tess' best friend, Ellie, at least for the most part of the book (until I learned more about her motives). She was overly confident, too loud and nosy, and quite self-centred. Not to mention that she appeared to be sleeping around. A lot. At times, she also seemed to be very judgemental towards Tess and I thought that was very hypocritical of her. But then I learned more about Ellie and begun to understand her better. I still can't say that I liked her a whole lot, though (I understand where she was coming from, but don't necessarily sympathize with her motives and intentions), and I feel that she could've handled things better. But hey, her character really adds to the story and the subplot gains a lot of depth thanks to her presence. Plus, the strong, unbreakable friendship between Ellie, Tess and Adam is one of the things I really loved about this book. I loved watching them interact, it reminded me of my own group of friends back from when I was a teenager! Their dialogues (full of inside jokes) were quirky and genuinely hilarious, and the way they supported and completed one another was sweet and heart-warming. In similar way, I loved reading about the Onslow boys and the brotherly bond between them. They were not only hot, disarmingly charming and funny, but also mature, honest and caring. And it's all the little details that C.J. Duggan included in the story that made me love and respect them in the end. So even though a guy breaking up with his girlfriend to be with another girl would usually make me wary, I didn't feel that way in Toby's case. I thought he handled the situation with grace and sensitivity, and I admired him for that. There were moments when his hot-and-cold attitude would throw me off a bit, but once you get to the end and all the cards are laid out, you see him in a totally different light. This book is full of those "Ohhh.. I see now!" moments that turn your perception of certain things and people around. The story is so well thought out, it's impossible not to admire Duggan's plotting skills.

With great energy, fresh summer atmosphere, style and humor, The Boys of Summer is one intoxicating and heart-warming novel. The pages are filled with warm sun, fresh summer breeze, hot sand, sweet uncertainty and shy kisses. The sexual tension is ever-present, though every make-out/sex scene is described tastefully, almost magically (because summer love is nothing short of magical!).

I could go on and on about how amazing, sweet and well-written this book is, but in the end all it comes down to is: You have to get your own copy, like, ASAP. You have to experience this story on your own, meet all the fantastic characters, come to your own conclusions about things. You simply have to read The Boys Of Summer and take this wonderful, mood-lifting and blush-worthy journey yourself. And I'm sure you will love it as much as I did!(less)

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Mar 13, 2013 Juhina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books, ebook, favorites, must-buy

Not many books have been able to equal the love I have towards Anna and the French Kiss (So far only Jenny Han's Summer Trilogy did). The Boys of Summer is added to this list now. It is an understatement when I say that I loved this book. I didn't only love this book, I inhaled it and devoured it in a single night. Yup, I messed up my sleeping pattern because I stayed up all night reading it. Every time I would say "This is the last chapter" I get too obsessed to what might happen next and dive...more Not many books have been able to equal the love I have towards Anna and the French Kiss (So far only Jenny Han's Summer Trilogy did). The Boys of Summer is added to this list now. It is an understatement when I say that I loved this book. I didn't only love this book, I inhaled it and devoured it in a single night. Yup, I messed up my sleeping pattern because I stayed up all night reading it. Every time I would say "This is the last chapter" I get too obsessed to what might happen next and dive into another one.

description

The story is set in the summer, my favorite contemporary setting right now. Tess gets riled into a summer job by her two best friends, Adam and Ellie. That is why she finds herself at the Onslow Hotel as a waitress that can't seem to even be able to work that monstrous coffee machine. However the upside of working there soon shows up, in the form of Toby Morrison. Tess has been crushing on Toby ever since she can remember but he is much older than her; she's seventeen and he's twenty two. In all honesty I loved the age gap, because as a twenty two year old myself, I find a romance more believable if the guy is older, plus the guys are more mature at that age, something every reader will notice when reading The Boys of Summer.
What made this book different from usual contemporaries are all the secondary characters. Tess's best friends, and Toby's friends who were labeled as the "Onslow Boys" by Ellie, causing a rather embarrassing situation when the boys find that out *snickers*, were all amazing. I wouldn't mind reading companion novels for each one of these secondary characters because the author gives us hints of their backgrounds, problems, and issues that make you want to know more! Now, when both sides get introduced, you instantly feel the tension between Toby and Tess and the readers are put in more tension because Toby actually has a girlfriend. So imagine all those mixed signals that Tess seems to be getting. I loved every single minute and page of it. It reminded me a bit of the movie "Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging" which is a british chick flick movie that I love. I seem to love british and Australian contemporary novels and movies huh? Yes, The Boys of Summer is actually set in Australia and I loved the unfamiliar setting.
Back to the Onslow Boys.. There is Toby, Sean, Stan, and Chris. Though we get the most time with Toby and Sean; Sean is the comic relief of this novel.. the flirtatious guy that is fun to be around. I loved Sean, but don't worry, there isn't an actual love triangle so you guys can let out a sigh of relief. Tess was a fabulous protagonist, she is a girl with a major crush on a guy that she somehow ends up hanging out with.. a lot. So imagine all the awkwardness, blushing, stammering and embarrassing thoughts and situations she gets herself into.. especially with a friend like Ellie who seems set on "Operation Toby Morrison".
I honestly couldn't put this book down. It was everything I could think about for the next couple of days after finishing it. Even now I have a sudden urge to re-read it. Something that only happens with Anna and the French Kiss and The Summer trilogy by Jenny Han. Honestly? This book is on my top three favorite contemporary YA books, a genre that I have read countless books from. The Boys of Summer is the perfect book to bring out the inner girl in you in the sense that you can't stop giggling, fanning yourself, and gasping at the hotness of the guys and the chill, summer feel of the book. I would recommend it to all contemporary lovers; I honestly believe everyone would find something they will love in this book. I can't wait for the second installment in this novel. CJ Duggans, you rock! Keep on writing these amazing novels.

In the Hall of Contemporary Fame for me!
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Apr 28, 2013 Oana D. H. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Since i saw the cover-well,first it was the description and then the cover-i wanted to read the book so much.When i finally received it i did my happy dance and then i started reading it and forgot about the other books.
All i can say it was worth waiting and the description was perfect.
The truth is that i want more.I don't even remember what happened around me that because i was paying attention at what happened in the book.
C.J,you got my attention with your amazing story!

The Boys Of Summer...more

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Apr 12, 2013 Julie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a MUST read for the summer!! I had not heard of Bys of Summer - until I won a copy during a Blog Tour. What a gem!! This New Adult romance was such a treat to read. CJ Duggan did an amazing job writing this novel!

Tess is trying to make it through the end of the school year. While Tess is strong and witty, she is tormented from the constant teasing from her classmates. A former boyfriend labeled her with a not-so-great nickname and constantly plays pranks on her. Tess just wants this scho...more

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Mar 19, 2013 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, kindle, review-on-blog

The boys of summer is the perfect beach read. I really loved this book. In fact, I didn't want it to end. All of the characters brought a smile to my face and the oslow boys, well lets just say I really, really liked the oslow boys. The Boys of Summer is about Tess and what I think is a pretty important summer in her life. Tess grew a lot as a person in this book and it thought it was great that we got to go along for the ride with her.

I felt so bad for her at the start of the book when everyon...more The boys of summer is the perfect beach read. I really loved this book. In fact, I didn't want it to end. All of the characters brought a smile to my face and the oslow boys, well lets just say I really, really liked the oslow boys. The Boys of Summer is about Tess and what I think is a pretty important summer in her life. Tess grew a lot as a person in this book and it thought it was great that we got to go along for the ride with her.

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. (less)

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Mar 02, 2013 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review On Blog: Tumbling In Books

I heard a lot of good reviews about this book but I didn't expect this at all! I'm not a big fan of this YA contemporary genres. I would prefer YA dystopian or fantasy but I'm not going to lie, I really did enjoy this one. I know I should have read this book during summer but I just had to after seeing the cover! I mean look at it. It's gorgeous! Beautiful covers are irresistible for me (and this book definitely did not fail me).

Tess is a bit clumsy and quite sh...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Hannah Gregory rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This book has become one of those books I know I will read over and over and over. Tess is a really good character. I felt sorry for what she had to put up with at school and it was really nice seeing her grow and find some confidence through the summer. All the other characters in the book just added to my enjoyment. Ellie and Adam were both amazing. Ellie did annoy me sometimes but we all have a friend just like her so I couldn't help but like her. Adam was just perfect, I think I fell in love...more

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Jan 19, 2013 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Hi there lovely person..Yes you..Please check out my blog if you want to Thanks http://booknerdrambling.blogspot.com

There's nothing better then a good summer read,except reading a book that screams summer during winter.I'm in Chicago it's Janurary,cold and windy and while reading this book all i did was long for the summer time.
Tess is best friends with Ellie and Adam and she comes off as the second banana to both of them Her best-friends convince her to get a summer job so they can all work t...more
Hi there lovely person..Yes you..Please check out my blog if you want to Thanks http://booknerdrambling.blogspot.com

There's nothing better then a good summer read,except reading a book that screams summer during winter.I'm in Chicago it's Janurary,cold and windy and while reading this book all i did was long for the summer time.
Tess is best friends with Ellie and Adam and she comes off as the second banana to both of them Her best-friends convince her to get a summer job so they can all work together over the summer.As soon as Tess starts working at the hotel you know her summer is about to get interesting.From sneaking out to hang out with the Onslow boys, to growing as a person, the summer fun is just beginning!

I'm glad i decided to read The Summer Boys it was a bit slow in the beginning but picked up.Tess is a pretty likable main charecter who is kind,shy and just beginning to find her self in the story.Toby is a bit reserved and thoughtful he's very sexy and Tess has a major crush on him.I loved how the relationship of Tess and Toby grew it didn't seem overly cheesy it seemed natural and It didn't really pick up the drama, till mid section of the book.The characters all seem so real and genuine my one of my favorites is Adam who is a complete sweetheart to Tess and the scene at the park made me wish i had a guy friend like him.The other favorite is Sean who i hope has a big part in the next book.

The cover is perfect for this book and conveys the message of summer time and love perfectly.I really enjoyed reading The Boys of Summer and can't wait for the next book in the series.Which is called An Endless Summer it takes place four years after The boys Of Summer and everyone's coming home!*Squeal*I can't wait to see how everyone turned out and if their all still friends.The Boys of Summer is easily up there with the likes of Jenny Han’s series, The Summer I Turned Pretty and the book Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah O.The book is a light read and I would highly recommend this one.4/5(less)

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Dec 11, 2012 Claire rated it 5 of 5 stars

What it's about: Tess has scored herself a summer job - and it's going to be one summer she won't ever forget! From sneaking out to hang out with the Onslow boys, to working in the local hotel, the summer fun is just beginning! But wait, there's more! Just add a drop of drama and a few slashes of comedy and I present to you - The Boys of Summer.

What I thought: This book kept me up until the wee hours of the morning because I literally could not force myself to put it down - I just had to know wh...more What it's about: Tess has scored herself a summer job - and it's going to be one summer she won't ever forget! From sneaking out to hang out with the Onslow boys, to working in the local hotel, the summer fun is just beginning! But wait, there's more! Just add a drop of drama and a few slashes of comedy and I present to you - The Boys of Summer.

What I thought: This book kept me up until the wee hours of the morning because I literally could not force myself to put it down - I just had to know what happened. Everything about The Boys of Summer absolutely blew me away. Firstly, how gorgeous is that cover? Yes, very eye-catching. Can't wait to have that baby on my book shelf! Next, C.J. Duggan has created this fantastic little town called Onslow - which I desperately want to exist because its sounds awesome! Then there are the Onslow boys which you will have absolutely no choice but to fall in love with - it's a given everyone. Toby, Sean, Stan and Ringer. Toby we get to know quite well and believe me guys, he's the fictional character of your dreams. Read it and weep girls - you've found him. Sean is a strong second runner up for me - I almost loved him as much as Toby, it's true. Stan and Ringer we don't really get to know too well, which is a shame, but we know them enough to know we'd want them as friends. This story is about Tess, but the Onslow boys really do steal the show away. But what I really love the most, is watching Tess go from wallflower extraoidanaire to super-hot babe flirting with all the boys, sneaking out of home. Watching Tess go on this life-changing journey is extremely touching and you just can't help cheer for her. Of course she couldn't have done it without a bit of help from her best friends Ellie and Adam!

I will be recommending this book to anyone who listen basically. Do yourself a favour and go grab a copy now!

The Good: Can I just say everything? Yep. Everything.

The Bad: The next book, isn't released for, like, forever. *Sigh*

Rating: 5 Bookstacks
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Mar 04, 2013 Humaira rated it 4 of 5 stars

I seriously loved this book. It was much much better than I was expecting. Its a story about summer, first love and change.

Our main character, Tess, is a normal girl who loves spending her summer with her two best friends, Adam and Ellie however this year both are working in the Onslow hotel so very reluctantly she decides to join them. Here she meets the 'Onslow boys' and finds the boy she has liked for years, Toby.

'It wasn't the summer I wanted, but it was the summer I was stuck with.'

I love...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Christy (Love of Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: e-book, read-in-2013, favorites

So perfect. I'm sad that it's over.

Review to come.

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Dec 30, 2012 Ilze rated it 5 of 5 stars

A really nice and light read for the day, it will definitely light up your mood.

The story is about a girl named Tess, who is kind a shy and goofy, and certainly not the one who attracts a lot attention. Until.... Summer starts and she starts to work in the Onslow hotel for weekends, working as a waitress. There she meets the Onslow boys, and her summer changes. She spends a lot of time with them, and she changes, she becomes more confident, more open. All the Onslow boys are fun, hot and olde...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 12, 2013 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, mar-yc-aussie, nook

This was such a cute, summertime in Australia, fun story. Tess is a 17 year old girl that has been finagled by her friends, Adam and Ellie, into working the summer weekends at the Onslow hotel restraunt.little does she know what the summer has in store for her. Her and Ellie are soon introduced to, and hanging out with who they refer to as the Onslow Boys. And one of them just happens to be Tess' long time crush. After a boat trip, some weekend parties, and an unfortuate bike mishap, Tess and he...more

5 likes · like · see review

topics	posts	views	last activity
YA Buddy Readers'...: The Boys of Summer, by C.J. Duggan - Starting 7th April	38	20	Apr 10, 2013 08:17am
Young Adult Reads: GIVEAWAY: Win the New Adult, Contemporary Romance ebook The Boys of Summer (Int)	1	6	Feb 17, 2013 01:43am
Who's Your Author?: GIVEAWAY: Win the New Adult, Contemporary Romance ebook The Boys of Summer (Int)	1	4	Feb 17, 2013 01:43am
The Book Monsters: GIVEAWAY: Win the New Adult, Contemporary Romance ebook The Boys of Summer (Int)	1	1	Feb 17, 2013 01:43am
Shut Up & Read: GIVEAWAY: Win the New Adult, Contemporary Romance ebook The Boys of Summer (Int)	1	4	Feb 17, 2013 01:43am
The Indie Exchang...: GIVEAWAY: Win the New Adult, Contemporary Romance ebook The Boys of Summer (Int)	1	5	Feb 17, 2013 01:42am
Bookworm Bitches : GIVEAWAY: Win the New Adult, Contemporary Romance ebook The Boys of Summer (Int)	1	3	Feb 17, 2013 01:41am

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The Boys of Summer (Summer #1)

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