Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Blog Tour: Summer of Seventeen by Jane Harvey-Berrick

 
 

It was supposed to be the endless summer of sand, sea, and surf.

 

Supposed to be.

 

But Nick Andrews life is crashing out of control. His girlfriend and his best friend have declared war, his sister’s constant interference in his life is driving him insane, and there are money problems that won’t go away.
 


Being seventeen isn’t supposed to be this hard.

 

When cool surfer Marcus arrives in town, Nick sees that there are easier ways to live. But with his life falling to pieces around him, it’s hard to know who to trust.

 

As the scorching heat of summer grows, events begin to unravel, reaching a shattering conclusion—and a summer he’ll never forget.
 
Seventeen years old can be such a confusing age.  Not quite an adult yet but very close to leaving home and making your way in the world.  It can also be a year of experiencing 'firsts' like driving a car, freedom to go out, dabbling a bit with alcohol and weed and maybe falling in love?
All of this is what happens to Nick in his summer of seventeen but there is also a lot of pain heartache entwined through his summer too.
Nick and his sister Julia have just buried their mother after she died from terminal cancer.  Julia is trying to do the right thing by Nick and guide him through his last year of school, taking on the parental responsibility that must be completely overwhelming for both of them.  Julia is making decisions that at times upset Nick but she is just doing her best.  This creates a new dynamic between them and really changes their relationship.
There is one thing that makes Nick smile, his girlfriend Yanis.  She is sweet and beautiful , just thinking about her brightens his day.  He doesn't get to spend much time with her as her family is very strict and not happy about her having a boyfriend.  Nick ends up working for her father over summer to help his sister out with paying bills and I guess it fills in the days.  In his spare time he surfs.  He is a fantastic surfer and loves being out on the waves with his best friend Sean.  Sean comes from a well off family that has high expectations of him.  Sean's friendship with Nick is not a popular one with his family and they think Nick is a bad influence on him.
So Nick spends his summer, working, drinking, partying and surfing.  Some of the things does are just typical of a 17 year old boy with a lot of freedom at his feet.  The consequences are pretty hard to deal with though and he definitely learns that the hard way.
This will be a summer of love, hard lessons, grief and tragedy.  More than any 17 year old should have to cope with but in reality these things really can happen.  The events of this summer will have a lasting impact on Nick's life and help him make decisions about his future.
I love that this is written in Nick's PO, there was so much raw emotion and at times it was so heartbreaking to read as he coped with everything that happened.
I give this 4 stars
“You have a great ass,” she whispered.


“Yeah?”


“Oh, yeah!”


“It’s all yours,” I challenged her. “You only gotta ask.”


“Maybe I won’t ask; maybe I’ll just grab a hold,” she laughed.


“Fine by me.”


As the trees thinned out, I could see people already laying out beach towels, and a couple of guys throwing a football. Some of them I knew, but there were several I didn’t. I thought maybe they went to Viera or Rockledge schools.


Yansi laid out two towels for us while Megan took charge of the food and Esther was eye-fucking one of the guys playing football.


I tugged off my t-shirt and plopped down next to Yansi. She was wearing some real short cut-off jeans that showed her butt cheeks, and a tank top that was cropped above her belly button. She looked incredible.


“How come you were allowed to leave the house like that?” I teased.


She smirked at me and pointed to her sweater.


“I tied this around my waist. Papi couldn’t tell the difference.”


“And your mom?”


Yansi laughed. “She just shook her head and said to tell you hi.”
 
 

I started writing contemporary romance two years ago. Before that, I didn’t think I could write a sex scene. Turns out I can!
 


My lucky number is 13 because I was born on the 13th and live near a haunted castle by the ocean. My number one past-time is watching hot surfers get changed into (and out of) their wetsuits.



My husband doesn’t read my books. My mother does.



Writing is my love, my hobby, my total addiction. All my characters are important to me and whisper their stories, even when I’ve finished writing their books. That’s why you’ll often find bonus chapters/out-takes from various books, because those voices just won’t be quiet.  



HOSTED BY:
EJ Button
 
 

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