Excerpt & Giveaway! The Boys of Summer by C.J. Duggan

Today we are thrilled to be sharing an exclusive excerpt from author C.J. Duggan’s, The Boys of Summer—a novel about that summer love you never forget.

We are also giving away one digital copy of Boys of Summer to a random (and lucky) reader!

 

“Don’t you dare.” I grabbed his arm, pulling him backwards. His eyes darted to where my hand rested on him. I didn’t move my hand, I couldn’t physically bring myself to break the contact; all of a sudden there were no smiles, no jokes, just him and me and our space on the couch. I could only hear the music and be aware of the heat of his skin and the rapid rise and fall of my chest in this moment.

The only thing that snapped me out of my daze was Toby’s words which seemed low and raspy.

“Is Adam your boyfriend?” His gaze flicked over my face as he waited for my answer. My mouth gaped open; I couldn’t hide the fact I was dumbfounded by the question.

I blinked quickly and took my hand from his arm. I struggled to construct a legible sentence.

“Oh – um, no, we’re just friends, it’s not like that.”

His stony expression didn’t falter, didn’t reveal any kind of emotion. He was so hard to read, and I wanted to read him so badly. He gave a small nod and handed me the CD cover.

“Better go and make sure these guys aren’t cheating.” And without another word, he got up and headed towards the pool table.

The Boys of Summer  by C.J. Duggan

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.

Warning: sexual references, and occasional coarse language.

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.

For more on C.J and ‘The Summer Series’, visit www.cjdugganbooks.com

Find C.J. Duggan Online:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

Giveaway!

One randomly drawn reader will win a kindle copy of C.J. Duggan’s The Boys of Summer! Open Internationally. Please follow the Rafflecopter widget directions and terms and conditions. Giveaway ends at 12:01am on 2/25/13.

Please leave us a comment telling us what you miss most about having the summers off in high school?

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24 comments:

  1. I miss all of the fun we used to have in summer...meeting boys, staying out late, etc...!

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  2. Oh, to be young again, and have Summer off. My parents live in a tourist town, and in the Summer, there are so many people...at the beach, in town...so many to meet!! There used to be this mini golf/arcade center in this "camping" area...oh the fun!! If walls could talk!

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  3. Oh goodness, when I was in high school and I had the summers off - I didn't realize it then - but I had all the time in the world. I read so much and watched so much TV and hung out with my friends. I thought I had a ton of work to do (around the house) but it was nothing compared to *real life* as a big girl. :)

    Summers were fun.

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  4. I think i miss most about having the summers off is the staying up late and sleeping in. Just pure laziness of it. I have to get up at 3:45 the days i work that so I'm always in bed by 9:30 and on my days off if i get up at 7am I've slept in!
    andieleah78@gmail.com

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  5. I miss being able to spend whole days at the beach or hanging out with my friends

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  6. I miss sleeping in and watching TV and reading...Very lazy days are the kind I like...thanks

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  7. I miss sleeping in, staying up late and the parties on every night of the week :-)

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  8. No work, no responsibilities and the ability to sleep in! Gah to have all that free time to read! Sigh, those were the days!

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  9. I miss sleeping in, staying up late, lying around in my PJs for long hours, and just the feeling of freedom! Gah, I want summer break from college right now. Thanks for the chance! (:

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  10. I miss sleeping in until noon and staying up until 2am. Ahhh...those were the days!

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  11. I never really had summers off in high school. I worked through the summer, usually 2 jobs.

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  12. I miss all of the fun we used to have in summer...meeting boys, staying out late, etc...!

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  13. I miss being able to sleep in and go and come as I please during the day!

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  14. I miss being able to sleep in and stay up late.

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  15. I miss having all the free time to read! Also no responsibilities. It was nice to be young and just enjoy life. :)

    smithbc86@yahoo.com

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  16. I miss all the fun that all of my friends and I had when there was no school in the summer!!!

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  17. I miss the freedom to do whatever, whenever! Sleep in, swim, read, shop, stay up late, no homework (:

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  18. I'm with Na! I miss being able to sleep in and stay up till the wee hours of the morning! :)

    tess_halim(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  19. Sleeping in and going to Six Flags with my friends :)

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  20. i missed, beach days with my friends, and partying till late!!!

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  21. Just being lazy with absolutely nothing to do and no where to go!

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