Blog Tour: Loving Summer

Author: Kailin Gow

Publication Date: May 28, 2012

Publisher: EDGE books

Series: Loving Summer Series

Summer has always looked forward to spending her summers at her Aunt's beach house with the Donovan’s. To her, summers at Aunt Sookie's beach house was magical, especially getting to spend time with the Donovan’s - her best friend Rachel and Rachel's brothers Nathaniel, and Drew. Here at Aunt Sookie's beach house, they can be anyone and anything they dreamed. For Summer, she had always wished to become as pretty as Rachel and for her brothers to think of her as more than Rachel's friend. For Nat and Drew, summers at Aunt Sookie's beach house meant fun and escape, a place where they go to with their mom and sister for the summer, away from city life. They never thought this summer would be different. They never thought things would change as much as they did...and it all began with them falling for and loving Summer.

I am on this contemporary reading kick this summer so I think that this book fit in really well. I could obviously tell that I was going to be reading a romance after seeing the couple on the cover. I think the colors really popped out from the background, which of course always makes me pick up a book. The slight hint of the ocean in the background is always alluring when reading, especially when I found out that the book is taking place in Malibu!! The only thing that I do not like about the cover is that is looks so posed. I think they should have tried to look more natural.

I am torn between how to feel about this book. I would not say that I completely hated it, but I did really love it either. I feel like I have read this book a million times over. Summer is our main character and she is caught up in a love situation with feelings for 3 different boys who all have feelings for her. I just felt like three boys were a little much. If you are going to write a book like this with 3 different romantic connections then it needs to be a lot stronger than this attempt. It was just so generic; they kiss, they hug, they share their deepest darkest secrets with one another, and then they fight about something very immature.

Summer was not the best leading character either. She was a bit naïve and at times I felt like she was only thinking about herself. All she thinks or talks about is debating which guy she should be with and for what reasons. She reminds me a lot of Bella in the Twilight movies because she is constantly whining about the situation she is in caught up between guys. I mean really who complains about that? Summer is just your typical beach girl with perfect hair and skin and really she gets no more depth than just that.

I was pleased with the male characters in this book! All 3 of them were so different from each other! They had different personalities, aspirations, faults, and even reasons for liking Summer. These characters had depth! They all approached their feelings for Summer differently and that made it even more interesting to read as well. My favorite guy was definitely Drew. You could say that I am a bit of a “Team Drew” fan! I like him the best just because he is so real and is not afraid to put himself out there for Summer. He knows that he is not perfect, but he is willing to try his hardest for Summer’s affection.

The whole storyline caught my attention as well and I really enjoyed that part too. These four kids are whisked out to Malibu to spend their summer with their “Aunt Sookie,” who used to babysit them all as children. They have not seen each other in three years, so that makes the story that much more interesting just to see how each one has changed and how they remembered the others. The four of them really do have a lot of fun together. Even if Summer gets on my nerves; altogether they make a great cast to read about.  I will more than likely read the next installment in this series even though I am not too crazy about Gow’s writing style. Her storylines are good and this was overall a fast and easy read!

I am so happy to be a part of my first blog tour today and I encourage you all to head over to Supa Girl Blog Tours and see what she has coming up next!!