Blog Tour - That One Summer By C.J. Duggan {Review & Giveaway}

 

The Summer Series #1-3

Author:C.J.Duggan

Genres:Contemporary,New Adult,Romance

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.

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Sean looked out over the lake, squinting against the sunlight. He turned to me, his expression sobering as his eyes flicked over my face in a silent study.

“Come on Amy, I saved you once, I’ll save you again.”
I met his stare unflinchingly. “I don’t need saving.”
A wicked grin formed slowly. “Don’t you?”

After a rebellious summer night that almost claimed her life, Amy Henderson – the Onslow publican’s only daughter – is sent away to suffer a fate far worse than any other punishment:

Boarding School.

Three years on, a now nineteen-year-old Amy returns to Onslow for the summer. What once was a cauldron of activity with live bands, hot meals and cold beers, the Onslow Hotel now lies dark, deserted and depressing. All fond childhood memories of loitering on the hotel stairs and eavesdropping on customers’ colourful conversations are in the distant past.

How had her dad let it come to this?

With the new threat of putting the Onslow up for sale, Amy reluctantly turns to a local tradesman for help: Sean Murphy, the very same Onslow boy who saved her life all those years ago. With his help and that of some old friends, the task is clear: spend the summer building the hotel back up to its former glory or lose it for good.

In an endless summer, Amy soon realises that sometimes in order to save your future, you have to face your past, even if it’s in the form of a smug, gorgeous Onslow boy. 

Loving Chris Henderson would be wrong. Diabolically disastrous. I mean, what is there about him to love? He’s moody, bossy, brooding, a control freak, and that’s on a good day … but there was one achingly obvious fact that haunted my every thought, every minute of every day …

He sure could kiss.

As the countdown to the new millennium begins, there is one thing everyone agrees on: no one wants to be in Onslow for New Year’s Eve.

So that can only mean one thing: road trip!

No longer the mousey, invisible, shy girl from years ago, Tammy Maskala is finally making up for all those lost summers. A new year with new friends, which astoundingly includes the bossy boy behind the bar, Chris Henderson.

She likes her new friends (at least most of them), so why does she secretly feel so out of place?

After chickening out on the trip, a last-minute change of heart sees Tammy racing to the Onslow Hotel, fearing she’s missed her chance for a ride. The last thing she expected to meet was a less-than-happy Onslow Boy leaning against his black panel van.

Now the countdown begins to reach the others at Point Shank before the party is over and the new year has begun. Alone in a car with only the infuriating Chris Henderson, Tammy can’t help but feel this is a disastrous start to what could have been a great adventure. But when the awkward road trip takes an unexpected turn, Tammy soon discovers that the way her traitorous heart feels about Chris is the biggest disaster of all.

Fogged up windows, moonlight swimming, bad karaoke and unearthed secrets; after this one summer nothing will ever be the same again. 

(B&N | Amazon)

My Review

When I started reading That One Summer,I wasn't really sure what it was going to be about or if I was going to enjoy it!But it was such a captivating and enjoyable read.Unfortunately I wasn't able to read the previous books but I'd love to some time in the future.From what I know they're companions but the main characters appeared in those as well.

Tammy was such an amazing main character but she felt insecure and didn't feel like belonging.She felt like an outsider even though she went everywhere with the others.When they decide to leave Onslow and spend New Year's somewhere else,she isn't sure if she wants to go so she stays behind.But of course she changes her mind and goes to the hotel,to find her friends gone.Only Chris stayed behind and waited for her.And of course she loves the way he makes her feel and starts falling for him!

The characters in this books were so sweet and funny.I loved the way the author gave such a true meaning to the word friendship and captured every moment on paper.I also loved the fact that as I kept reading,the story got more interesting and intriguing.I fell in love with the writing and the author did a great job of making the story believable.I fell in love with the characters and every single thing that happened in this book!

Tammy was such an amazing character.Sometimes she was shy,sometimes she was confident and I loved her moments with Chris.Even though he was a bit serious and moody,I think they were perfect for each other.Tammy's feelings of being an outside and not fitting in were understandable and I think everyone can relate to them.But the fact that everybody welcomed her and tried to make her feel better shows how much friendship means to them!We get to see how much she means to everyone and how they feel like she's one of them.The story ended up being really unpredictable and I loved the twists because they made everything more suspenseful and enjoyable!

That One Summers was such a captivating and enjoyable read,full of romance,hilarious adventures and the true meaning of friendship.It was definitely worth reading and I highly recommend it to people who are looking for a light,funny and enjoyable book to read!Can't wait to read the previous books and enjoy more of the author's work!!!

 

About The Author

C.J Duggan is an Australian author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia.
The Boys of Summer is Book One in her Mature Young Adult Romance Series.

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