Review: The Boys of Summer (Summer #1) by C.J. Duggan

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. 

This was my first but definitely not my last encounter with a C.J. Duggan novel. Why, in the name of everything sweet and cuddly, have I not ever heard of this author?!? I just don't get it. I. Don't. Get it. But that changes as of today. If the rest of this series is as good as this first book, this series will be in my top 5. Most definitely my favorite New Adult. By a long shot. And that's saying a bunch since I've been on a serious New Adult kick lately and I've read some amazing novels.

This one was just so good. It was so ... real. I mean, you're following this girl named Tess. Now, Tess is what I would consider your almost-every-teenage-girl-next-door. She's dated a jerk, she is super insecure, she's boy crazy and she's borderline obsessed with a guy that she's mooned over for years. I saw a lot of myself in Tess. Maybe that's why I connected with this novel so much. Duggan wrote Tess with this awesome sassy/spunky attitude - Tess has a very quick wit and a smartass comment for just about everything and I loved it. She's one of those characters that you instantly connect with and find just truly endearing.

Tess was so well written, along with all of the other characters. Each of them had such a depth, such a back story that really filled them out completely and left you with no unanswered questions about their history or why they behaved the way that they did.

The story also flowed seamlessly. There weren't any sentences, paragraphs or chapters that were unnecessary ... there just wasn't any fluff. I didn't find myself skimming paragraphs or jumping pages just to get to the good parts because it was ALL good parts.

I just really enjoyed everything about The Boys of Summer. Everything. There were so many hilarious moments, so many heart wrenching moments. It's a coming of age novel that most females can totally identify with. Such a sweet young-love story! I can't wait to read the rest of the series!! Now stop reading my silly review and get started on this book!!

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