An Endless Summer by C. J. Duggan ARC Review

An Endless Summer Summer Book Two
Written By C. J. Duggan
Contemporary, Romance
Published July 17th 2013
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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
Amy owes Sean her life. Drunk, Amy and best friend Tammy decided to sneak out in search of the Onslow boys, but alcohol and moonlight swimming wasn't the wisest choice. The near death incident, landed Amy being sentenced to an all girls boarding school, where she'll see out her schooling.

Three years later, Amy returns to Onslow to the pub where she spent her childhood, and the vision is heartbreaking. Her parents have never been conventional, her high maintenance mother living in the city, and her father tending to his pride and joy, the Onslow hotel. Her father leaving to move to the city, rekindling his relationship, leaving the pub on the verge of bring condemned.

Sean has only just returned to town, after completing a a successful building project. What he didn't expect to see, was a grown up publican's daughter, after Amy falls into his life, literally,

It's the summer of past friendships, new mates and having a cold one at the Onslow, as the group of regulars rejuvenate the old pub to it's former glory. Before long, Amy realises the banter, the shameless flirting and games with Sean have unnerved her. Sean isn't the slick, womanising Onslow Tigers ruckman he once was, he knows where he's headed and knows what he wants from life. But is that Amy?

Amy's father is contemplating selling the pub after a health scare, but how can he sell her childhood memories, the place that helped her find herself again... The same place that she realised that she was falling in love with Sean Murphy.

The Final Verdict

I love the fictional town of Onslow and what it represents. The Summer series is beautifully brilliant and realistic. Set in a small town where they all know one another, the setting is realistic and anyone who has lived in a small town in Australia, knows that it can either be a blessing, or a curse. In Onslow, they share a sense of community, and genuine warmth towards one another.

C. J. Duggan is a romantic storyteller. She has not only created likeable characters, but an entire town to fall in love with. Thank you to C. J for allowing me to transport back to Onslow again. I absolutely loved it immensely.

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