Out since he was
fourteen, Idrys grew up hating summer, mostly because of Trystan
Jackson, the gorgeous eldest son of his parents’ holiday friends. After
avoiding the joint holiday for five years, Idrys must now face Trystan
again... or risk the wrath of his parents. Like Idrys, Trystan isn’t
exactly the guy he was the last time they met, but Idrys has more to
worry about than Trystan’s odd sleeping habits. He has to steel
his—usually nonexistent—morals against the advances of the cute and
innocent Josh, Trystan’s younger brother.
It’s only ten days, right? And afterward he doesn’t have to see either of them for another year.
If only it was that simple.
Two months after the holiday from hell, Trystan gets a last minute placement in the city where Idrys lives, and suddenly both brothers are back in Idrys's life. Idrys is determined to carry on regardless, but sooner or later he might have to face the fact that summer doesn't last forever.
It’s only ten days, right? And afterward he doesn’t have to see either of them for another year.
If only it was that simple.
Two months after the holiday from hell, Trystan gets a last minute placement in the city where Idrys lives, and suddenly both brothers are back in Idrys's life. Idrys is determined to carry on regardless, but sooner or later he might have to face the fact that summer doesn't last forever.
To start, I would love to see the
creation that is Idrys in the flesh. He sounds like an amalgamation of features
that should not work, yet do to create an ethereally beautiful androgynous man.
And my response is exactly the kind of attention that Ide has dealt with most
of his life – excessive attention, both good and bad, because of the way he
looks. We are well into the book before he shares this information and by the
point it occurs you know that this is not a matter of Ide being conceited or
arrogant, but rather a fact. It’s one for which I couldn’t help but feel badly
for him because as his story unfolds we learn that it has caused him pain in
the past and is preventing him from finding happiness.
Even though Ide can be an arse and
an all-around P.I.T.A., he’s a rather endearing character and I found myself
sucked right into his story, hoping he got his happy ending. Surprisingly, it
is Trystan, his childhood nemesis, who gradually works himself into the
position to be the one to provide that happy ending. I was quite relieved that
Trystan ended up being someone who didn’t scare off easily and cared for the
person that Ide was and not the persona his looks often led him to be. While I
pick up a romance with expectations regarding it ending in a certain way (i.e.,
happily), it is the journey to get there that makes the story worth reading. I Hate Summer has plenty of drama, sex,
insecurities, “coming outs,” and love – it even included several laugh-out-loud
moments – and it all combined perfectly for a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Ms. Pantu has penned a well-crafted
novel that ended up being a much more emotional read than I anticipated and a
lovely one at that. I absolutely loved Idrys – flaws and all – and loved
watching the way his relationship with Trystan evolved. I also found the way he
took Josh under his wing (so to speak) quite sweet. The author has created a
wonderful cast of characters and, oddly enough, I would have liked to see more
of Echo because the brief appearance he made in the book left a rather striking
impression. I Hate Summer has made it
onto my reread list and I look forward to reading more of Ms. Pantu’s work.
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