Sydney West enjoys sampling summer boys, but this year, one refuses to be a one-night stand…
Twenty-one-year-old Sydney doesn’t believe in relationships. Her parents’ toxic divorce has taught her love is nothing but a sinister fairytale. So every summer she parties, hooks up, abandons her lover before dawn, and repeats.
That is until she meets gorgeous local surfer Jason King at the beach…
When Jason fails to flirt—or even give her a second glance—she decides something must be wrong with him, and it’s safer to stay away. But when Sydney and Jason’s best friends hook up and become Malibu’s hottest couple, they are forced to spend more time together than either of them cares for.
Armed with a sharp tongue, Sydney works to keep Jason at bay…
In a moment of weakness, Sydney lets her guard down and confides in Jason, realizing he’s more than just a hot guy—he’s also a friend. And when Sydney’s need for a summer boy results in her falling into bed with Jason, despite her better judgment, she runs away from him by morning.
The problem is, he won’t accept being another one-night stand, and will do anything to prove…
Love really does exist.
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Excerpt One:
The thrill of the game winded down. People broke away in groups of two and three. I wanted to call it a night and see if any beer was left.
“I challenge you, Sydney, to a game of Truth or Dare,” Jason declared.
I sunk into the sofa and glared at him with my mouth agape. “Are you serious?”
Of course now is when he decides to say my name correctly.
He nodded, flashing a wicked grin.
I swallowed. My throat was too dry. I didn’t want to play. I didn’t want to admit truths to a bunch of weirdos. I guess most were drunk, so they wouldn’t remember, but it was the principle of the thing.
“Do you accept?” a boy wearing black jeans and no shirt asked.
The pressure of everyone’s eyes on me was too much. I sighed. “I guess.”
“Good. We got another game, people!” the boy shouted with excitement.
Excerpt Two:
“I can show you some tips. Been surfing all my life,” he said proudly.
“Yes,” Amelia said excitedly, dragging the poor boy to the ocean.
Rolling my eyes, I turned toward the other boy. He was tall, but not über tall, like the other guy. His muscles moved like liquid as he approached me. I had the urge to touch his abs and see if they were as firm as they appeared. His hair was tussled and golden brown, as if sun kissed. His board was a light blue with black stripes. It was a good brand, but a basic print.
“Do you need surfing lessons too or are you here in support?” the boy asked me. His silver eyes mirrored the moon, sending shivers down my shine.
“Umm…I was wanting to be surfing…”
What the hell did I just say?
His eyes sparkled with laughter, but he didn’t mock me. “I can teach you some tricks if you want.”
I looked at him closer. My stomach fell to the sand. He was the guy I bumped into at that club and he didn’t bother giving me a second look. He kept walking as if I was just another body in the crowd, no one worthy of his attention.
“Were you at Club Purple last night?” I asked.
He tilted his head. “Yes, how did you know?”
“I ran into you and we kept going the same way and then—”
“Oh, right,” he said, nodding as if it all made sense.
Excerpt Three:
“Wait,” he pulled away from me so he could look me square in the eye, “Who said anything about having sex?”
“It’s fine. I know the unspoken rule. The guy is all sweet and cooks for the girl and she gives him entry into her.”
He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. His words were jumbled together as he muttered to himself. I stared at him, wondering why he was upset.
“Damn it, Sydney! Why do you chalk every damn thing up to sex? Life isn’t all about fucking. Sometimes people are just being nice. I didn’t expect anything from you tonight.”
“I assumed…” I mumbled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Don’t…at least not with me. Last time was a mistake—”
I fought back my tears. “I didn’t know…I mean I’m sorry I didn’t please you.”
“No, you did.” He leaned in close, brushing the back of his hand down my cheek. “Listen to me. It was too fast. I got caught up in the heat of the moment. You’re a sexy woman and I loved what we did, but usually I wait until the third date before sleeping with a girl.”
Out of habit, I put space between us, enough room for another person to sit in-between. “Why wait?” It was a foreign concept to me.
He stood and paced the length of the couch. “I wait to see if I like the person. Get to know her, see if I can imagine her in my future. Not as a wife or anything, just as someone that would last a lot longer than a one-night stand. I see if I could fall in love with her. If I had sex with every woman, then it would become mundane and meaningless.”
“But I don’t believe in love. That’s why I—”
Brittney Coon graduated Magna Cum Laude from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication and a minor in Film and Media Production. Brittney has always been creative and turned to writing to share the stories playing through her head. In her spare time she reads, watches Friends, and hangs out with her cats. She currently lives in Arizona.
UNITED INDIE BOOK BLOG REVIEW
Shades Of Sydney by Brittney CoonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is a twist on the story we are used to. The female (Sydney) is the one sleeping around and the guy (Jason) is looking for a relationship. I liked this idea. This is nothing wrong with a girl having sex if that's what she wants. You see a lot of the stereotypes discussed and how unfair it can be when you see this role reversal. My biggest issue with Sydney was her drug use. It's tough to read and not exactly addressed later on. I feel like her best friend Amelia isn't very good and just lets her spiral and says some pretty demeaning things. It's not until the end you see a good relationship with them. I love Jason. He is so amazing. The guy every girl dreams of coming along. I do like the fact that Brittney doesn't have Sydney change overnight. The development of their relationship is a gradual progression which makes sense with all Sydney's issues. This book is just the first in the series. There is not a cliffhanger (Thank you Brittney!) but there is clearly a lot to be resolved if Sydney and Jason are going to have a future together.
reviewed by Cathy
View all my reviews
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