Blog Tour: An Endless Summer

Title: An Endless Summer

Author: C. J. Duggan

Publisher: C.J. Duggan

Publish Date:  11 July 2013

Pages: 311

ASIN: B00DW5S0A2

Source:  review tour

Genre:  new adult, romance

Series:  Summer

Other books in series:  The Boys of Summer

Rating: really liked

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 realizes 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.

What do you do when you realize that the place you love and where you spent your summers has been let go?  That is what happens to Amy.  She returns from boarding school and decides that she wants to return to Onslow.  Her father used to take care of it and stay there, but her mom demanded more of him and he left the Onslow to work on his marriage.  After Amy returns, she gets sick of being around her lovey–dovey parents and decides to head to the old hotel for a “vacation.”

She does not know what she is returning to.  The place is falling apart and has only one staff member, Matt, whom she is not entirely sure about.  It is there she meets Sean Murphy again.  He was the boy who saved her life after her near-drowning incident three years prior, which got her banished to boarding school.  He is the last person she wants to see and she certainly doesn't want his help to restore the Onslow to its former beauty.  Will Amy be able to restore the Onslow?  What will happen between Sean and Amy?

I really liked this book even though there are some parts which would have made me not want to buy this book if I had not liked The Boys of Summer as much as I did.  (When I say that I’m talking about language and sex.  I understand that this is a new adult book and those are implied with that genre, but that is the reason I don’t read a lot of New Adult.)  Even with my biases about the genre, I really enjoyed this book.  

I wasn't sure how An Endless Summer would hold up without the same Onslow characters, but they delivered the same feelings as the first book.  I really like Duggan’s writing style.  I like that her main characters have flaws that you actually see and not just hear about.  They are not perfect.

I like Sean and his humor.  He is unwavering in his pursuits.  When he wants something, he goes after it and that is admirable.  The Summer series is one that I will be following.

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There is an element of cringe-worthiness when I say writing to me is an extension of who I am. I know it’s rather cliché, but it is so deeply ingrained in me, and has been for so many years, it’s impossible to contemplate not doing it. In all my creative, secluded wisdom, I must say I had never thought of it as something to share with others, never thought of it as a career, it’s not about sitting down at the desk to churn out a best-seller and retire from that check in the mail. For me, it’s not a job it’s just what I do; to be honest, I had never given it too much thought.

So why now?

Because there is this immense satisfaction of being able to channel that creativity with others in the writing/reading community, being able to share and discover new talent and realize I am not alone! Cue the dreamy music and let me tell you about a little ditty called “Blog” a word my husband still can’t get his head around, but I assure him it’s a great thing. And it has been for me! A platform to vent and share my work to a group of like minded people who also help inspire you to believe in what you are doing. It has challenged me and made me take responsibility of my work, it’s all very new, exciting and oh yes overwhelming.

As I enter this new phase of embracing my inner writer, I have been able to network my writing through the wonderful world of blogging, where I discuss the trials and tribulations of independently writing my first book: 'The Boys of Summer'. By offering an insiders look at the struggles a writer goes through in order to put those words on paper. Being independent I write from the heart, no deadlines, no big bucks rolling, no movie deals, but that’s o.k., like I said it’s not what it’s about!The response has been over whelming and having been able to link into the Indie community has been truly inspiring. I look forward to giving you an insight to the wonderful world of Independent writing, the good the bad and the ugly. (hopefully not too much of the latter)

(This was taken from Duggan's website.)

YA Bound has teamed up with C.J. Duggan to host this tour giveaway

a YA Bound tour giveaway

The Boys of Summer is on sale this week only for $0.99!  Get your copy now!