I’m very pleased today to be a part of the exclusive Ringer Blog Tour on the behalf of C.J. Duggan herself. My post is a little late due to having a rather busy week, but better late than never right! 🙂 I absolutely adore this series, I have reviewed every single one so if you would like to read them from the very beginning, please do so. The Boys of Summer #1, An Endless Summer #2, That One Summer #3, and now Ringer, a novella #3.5, with further ado her is my review.
Ringer (Summer #3.5)
by C.J Duggan
Release Date – March 18th 2014
Buy – Amazon
They say it’s the quiet ones you have to worry about, and she was quiet, very quiet—when she wasn’t busy despising me with a burning passion.
Ringo ‘Ringer’ James has a no-strings-attached policy.
Love them, leave them, and remain the eternal bachelor.
After a summer in which every one of his mates has succumbed to settling down, or so it seemed, Ringer is on the lookout for a quick exit. Having had enough of the stomach-turning love fest witnessed over the past three months, Ringer jumps at the opportunity to help out his mate, Max, by heading to Max’s dad’s property for a working holiday.
It’s just what he’s looking for. A remote, dusty homestead in Ballan, with only hard work, a cold beer and a comfy bed to worry about – no women.
Until Miranda Henry.
The privately educated daughter of his boss has returned home from overseas and things are about to get very complicated, very fast. As summer draws to its end, Ringer is about to learn that sometimes attraction defies all logic, and that there really is such a thing as ‘enemies with benefits.’
C.J really turned the tables with Ringer’s story as a novella in one sense it didn’t match the rest of her Summer series with it not being in a full book. But actually it really worked in her favour, I have to remind myself that any previous or future novels were from a female’s protagonists perspective. Reading Ringer’s and Miranda’s story really opened up C.J’s writing as well as the plotline between both of the characters.
Ringer needs to escape Onslow, with his surrounding buds enthralled with the own lives and those of their girlfriends and love. It’s very hard being within a group going ‘stag’ for the night’s activities. So he decides to help his old friend Max and go down his parents to help on the estate while he was away. He for one wasn’t counting on Max’s sister, Miranda Henry being there. He knew he would have his work cut for him.
Ringer’s character doesn’t shine through the rest of the Summer series, he’s a quiet part of the group and the only drama would be in That One Summer when he stepped on a piece of glass and hurt his foot. So he has drama previously, but I think we still don’t really see the true Ringer. But like most guys you very rarely see them open up unless you truly know them. Ringer gave as good as he get and when he wants something he will try not to walk away…
….unlike Miranda Henry, she will run away from anything, anywhere with the confines of Austailia. Living in Paris was her comfort zone, now she is pulled out of it. When her brother wasn’t returning, she had to like she had no choice. But running over the first bloke she see and having to live with him for the week or so wasn’t on her agenda. Nor was it to fool around, mock him and then face the unfortunate fact that she might be falling in love with him. Like all female protagonists in YA contemporaries, they have a past, a guilty past, which has haunted her since. What I liked about it being a novella was that she didn’t beat around the bush, she was honest and forward about the relationship that she faces with no better than Ringer.
Like all of the Summer series I really enjoyed this one as a novella and I think it would make a brilliant novel as well. C.J. Duggan creates the perfect summer read! Why don’t you get into the sunshine spirits with this series.
Rating – 4
C.J Duggan is the number one bestselling Australian author of the Summer Series! C.J lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia. When she isn’t writing books about swoony boys and 90’s pop culture you will find her renovating her hundred-year-old Victorian homestead or annoying her local travel agent for a quote to escape the chaos.
Novels in the Summer Series includes: The Boys of Summer (December 2012), An Endless Summer (July 2013), That One Summer (December 2013), Ringer (March 2014) and the highly anticipated, soon to be released Forever Summer (July 2014).
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I haven't read anything by this author but seeing as this is a novella, I just may pick it up to sample this author's writing style and characterization. Thanks for putting it on my radar, Emma!
It's great that Ringer gets his chance to shine in this novella. I'm glad that the relationship is straight-forward and does the characters justice. So happy that you are still enjoying this series 🙂 Gotta try one of these books myself someday 😉
Wonderful review, Emma! I know Jasprit really enjoyed this series as well. I like it when characters are honest and don't beat around the bush about their feelings. 🙂
I was lucky enough to win the first book in this series Emma and I'm really excited to read it! I've heard such great things about these books:) I like how you describe Miranda, I'm all for girls who are a bit more open and honest with their desires or their pasts rather than hiding everything and forcing us to endure a series of miscommunications. Lovely review!
Gosh I feel so behind with this series now! I had no idea there was a novella. Though I'm sure I'll enjoy the romance here, as I usually do when it comes to Duggan's books. I'm glad you enjoyed it, Emma, and I can't wait to read it myself. 🙂 Lovely review!
I haven't read any books in this series but the novella does sound pretty good. It seems like you can read them out of order if you wished, am I right? Plus, the setting sounds so awesome!
I have read the first book in this series and it didn't work out for me. I somehow couldn't connect with the characters but now while reading your review I can say that it sounds really good. I might get back to it. Great review, Emma 🙂
this series looks fantastic. Great review.
I didn't even realise that Duggan had a short novella released too! I remember loving the first two books from this series, so I'm glad that you ended up enjoying this one too. I definitely need to make my Summer reading list and I think this book will certainly be on it! Lovely review Emma!
Another great read. I wish it had have been a bit longer, but I guess that's just a short story for you. Leaves you wanting more.
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