Title: Crushing Summer
Author: C.M. Stunich
Release Date: November 7, 2013
Genre: New Adult Romance
Hosted by: Love Between the Sheets
Synopsis
I’m a girl. I met a boy. Why can’t it stay that simple? Here, in this town, summer doesn’t just mean tiny bikinis and sunglasses, white toothed grins and lounging at the beach. It means pain. And loss. And false promises. It means liars pretending to be saints, friends pretending to be enemies, rivals pretending to be lovers. For me, it means being crushed. The Crush, actually. The one they all want simply because they were told to. It means being surrounded by beautiful faces and gorgeous bodies, sweet words and sizzling kisses. It means being wanted and despised. My name is Chloe Summer, and I’m afraid that if I’m not careful, this summer could be my last.
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Review
Wow! This book had a little bit of everything. Some romance, some mystery and suspense, and an almost stepford wives vibe at times. This book was different from most I’ve read by it was really good. A wide range of characters and a unique story line made for a great book.
At first glance Casper and Chloe couldn’t be more opposite from each other but they soon figure out that they aren’t so different. I really enjoyed their little bits of humor throughout the book which lightened the mood it needed it. Casper is tattooed, pierced, paints his nails black, and has a killer body. He’s very protective (especially over his sick sister) and has a strong will. Chloe is more on the preppy side. She’s totally honest and strives to go beyond her little seaside town. I think she is really driven and also has a very strong will. These characters were easily likeable.
The suspenseful story line had me on the edge of my seat through the whole book. It drew me in from the very beginning and I couldn’t but my tablet down until I was finished. The well written characters and really interesting plot came together smoothly, creating a one of a kind book. Fantastic story and a 5 out of 5 books!
Excerpt
“Just follow me and holler if you get stuck.”
“Stuck?” Casper asked, face paling as I dropped to my knees in the wet sand. He and his sister were so pale that they were visible even in the dark. I smiled and shrugged.
“It can get a little tight in here,” I explained, examining his strong shoulders and muscular chest. Casper was more … developed than the other guys in my grade. He looked more like a man than the rest of them. As soon as this thought ran through my head, I flushed neon red and turned away, nestling my fingers into the wet ground for support. Wow. I might be the Crush, but I think I also have a crush. A smile teased my lips as I started forward and listened for the sounds of Casper and Julie crawling after me. I really hoped that he wouldn’t get stuck. I couldn’t even imagine how that would play out.
“Casper’s claustrophobic,” Julie began, her hair brushing against my bare feet as I squeezed my body past the first curve and around the corner. It was so dark in here, and moist, like the air was liquid, coating my tongue and the insides of my cheeks with salt water. It should’ve been stifling, but it wasn’t. It was almost comforting in a way.
“Not clinically,” I heard him call out from behind us. “But I’m not going to lie. This is not my idea of a good time.” With a grunt, I listened as he moved behind us, scraping past the curve with a flurry of curses and a few choice words for The Assignment.
“It’s not too far between caves,” I explained, listening as the earth muffled my voice and made me sound small, like a little kid wrapped in a blanket. Only this blanket was tons and tons of rock and sand and dirt towering above me, ready to crash down and suffocate us at any moment. I pushed the thought back, sent up a silent prayer for Casper and kept going. If he really was claustrophobic, this could not be an easy task. “We can rest in between and take a breather. The others aren’t quite tall enough to stand up in, but at least we can sit comfortably.”
“This,” Julie said with a small hiccup, one that had her brother sucking in a lungful of harsh breath. “Is like an adventure.” When she started to cough, my heart rate picked up and guilt came crashing down around me like a wave. How could I have been so stupid? Of course we were going to get discovered. The first day after Assignment Night was notoriously bad for the Outcast. It was a day of limbo, somewhere in between beach parties and road trips. They had nothing else to do, so they came looking for her. Or rather, they were called. As soon as I saw Justin, and Heidi for that matter, I was going to go off on them. Especially Heidi. How could she have let this happen? I expected more out of her. “Something you could write books about.”
“Julie, save your breath,” Casper said, but his voice was soft, even softer than mine.
“It’s just a cough, Casper,” she choked out as I finally emerged out the end of the tunnel and spun to help her, grabbing her hands and pulling her into the bubble of open space beneath the earth. There wasn’t much of an entrance into this particular cave. The mouth was narrow and wide, filled with water that bubbled and licked at our flesh as it rose and fell, reminding us that we were only temporary fixtures here, that we couldn’t stay long.
Julie’s hands were flecked with little spots of blood that she quickly washed away in the surf, hiding the evidence before her brother emerged behind her, covered in sweat and panting. He slicked his hair back as he collapsed to his side and looked up at the low ceiling with a grimace. Surf kissed his dark hair and brushed across his skin, drawing goose bumps along his bare flesh.
“It’s not just a cough, Julie,” he said, as he glanced up, presumably looking for blood. She didn’t show him anything, but a smile and continued talking.
“I’ve always thought it would be fun to trade places with someone legendary, someone whose name won’t be erased in time.” She sat back against the wall and closed her eyes. “First name that comes to mind … Casper?”
“I’m not playing this game, Julie,” he said, sounding tired. I imagined that it couldn’t be easy on him, looking out for her all the time, worrying, afraid that around the corner, something bad might be waiting to take her away.
“Chloe?”
I thought for a moment, trying to word my answer carefully. I felt like honesty was vastly important, even in this hypothetical situation. I still felt guilty for the almost lie I’d told Casper earlier. I should’ve just told him the truth – that my friend and her boyfriend had called the cavalry and they were out for blood.
“Homer.”
Julie grinned.
“From The Odyssey?”
I shrugged, reaching up to pick bits of kelp from my hair.
“I mean, just for a day or two. I don’t know if I could handle the weight of Olympus on my shoulders for a lifetime.” Julie grinned at me, and I smiled back.
“I’d like to be the Oracle at Delphi, breathing in noxious gasses and uttering mad prophesies. Or, barring that, maybe Athena. I suppose it wouldn’t be so terrible to be a goddess. Well, except for the whole immortality thing. That would blow.”
“Hello?” It was Heidi’s voice, echoing through the tunnel and bouncing around the rock. Even though I knew she was quite a ways away from us, it sounded like she was just outside the rock. “Chloe, are you in here?” I knew Heidi knew about the tunnel though she’d never climbed through it. All it would take though would be a brave soul or two, someone trying to show off, and we’d be trapped. I held a finger to my lips and turned around, ducking into the next portion of the tunnel and sliding along my belly in the shallow water. This was by far the worst part. If we could get through here, we’d be home free.
Well, sort of. I still had to go into the bank, shoeless and wet, covered in sand, and explain to my dad why I needed a ride home. Not exactly my idea of fun, but there it was. He’d understand. He’d been the Heartthrob back in his day. It was rough. Having a whole town full of admirers is not as fun as it sounds. Dad had even been kidnapped once and tied to a chair by a crazy chick from his class.
And then a year later, he’d married her. Yes, my mother had kidnapped my dad during the Assignment. Explains a lot, huh?
“Once we get through here, we’re home free,” I whispered as I rose to my knees and snuck a glance over my shoulder. As tiny as she was, Julie had no problem getting through the low point. But Casper …
“Shit,” he growled as his arms appeared first, and then his head. It was his chest and shoulders that were having a hard time squeezing through the rock, keeping him trapped in a very awkward position. I could only imagine what the others would think if they came in and found his feet sticking out into the cave. “You weren’t kidding, were you?” he asked as he pushed the goopy sand aside and dug his fingers into the sticky clay beneath looking for a handhold. “This is ridiculous. I should’ve just stayed back there and beat those jerks up.” Julie and I waited while Casper grumbled and clawed his way through. He made it just barely and ended up red faced and pissed behind his sister. When his eyes met mine, I had to look away. I was really screwing up this whole first impression bit. Casper Alice and I were off to a very rough start.
About the Author
C.M. Stunich was raised under a cover of fog in the area known simply as Eureka, CA. A mysterious place, this strange, arboreal land nursed Caitlin’s (yes, that’s her name!) desire to write strange fiction novels about wicked monsters, magical trains, and Nemean Lions (Google it!). She currently enjoys drag queens, having too many cats, and tribal bellydance. Always a fan of the indie scene and ‘sticking it to the man,’ Ms. Stunich decided to take the road less traveled and forgo the traditional publishing route. You can be assured though that she received several rejections as to ensure her proper place in the world of writers before taking up a friend’s offer to start a publishing company. Sarian Royal was born, and Ms. Stunich’s books slowly transformed from mere baking chocolate to full blown tortes with hand sculpted fondant flowers. C.M. is a writer obsessed with delivering the very best and scours her mind on a regular basis to select the most unusual stories for the outside world. Ms. Stunich can be reached via e-mail or by post and loves to hear from her readers. Ms. Stunich also wrote this biography and has no idea why she decided to refer to herself in the third person. Come visit me at www.cmstunich.com and follow me on Facebook !
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