Synopsis
“So you wanna be part of the Six, huh? You wish…”
~Jared, Ace, Mark, Josh, Aiden & Eli
Riley Clifton can’t remember a time when she wasn’t a part of the Six, a group of rowdy boys who would do just about anything for her. Growing up alongside of six guys is never easy. Especially in high school. Falling in love with one of the Six? Even harder when Ace has a hold of her heart, and he doesn’t even know it.
Jake (Ace) Aceton has loved Riley for a long time, but has kept the secret oath of the Six. Riley was off limits. At least until after graduation. When he overhears Riley admitting to her best friend, Paige how she feels about him, Ace doesn’t let his chance slip by. Riley, in his mind, has always been his.
When her college plan falls through, and her future is left to the hands of fate, Riley finds herself scrambling to keep up with all the changes. But that’s not the hardest part. The hardest part is saying good-bye, especially to Ace.
Heartache, hard lessons, and a love deeper than her Alabama roots will threaten to crumble Riley’s world as she waits for Ace’s return.
Will Riley and Ace’s love be strong enough to hold them together when life tries to tear them apart?
5 out of 5 stars
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My Review
‘We love you Riley. We always have…we always will.’
I just need to say that as I write this review, I am sobbing my heart out and my vision is definitely blurry. OH MY JESUS CHRIST. My heart is actually hurting and being torn apart by The Summer I Fell. I don’t know how to accumulate all my thoughts because my mind is spinning circles over the ending. I need book two asap, I need to know what the hell is going to happening and if my heart will survive it all.
This is my first book by Sonja and she has me in a tizzy. I always say if an author can make me cry, then their book is a damn bloody great one, and The Summer I Fell definitely is a book you all need to read – right now. Sonja has a flare in which you will go from page to page, relishing in the scenes you are reading, loving the relationship between the guys and Riley, the relationship between Riley and Ace and the whole group dynamic. They just all gel, they wind each other up, they show-off but you know that The Seven of them love each other unconditionally. No one else matters to them, no one will get in between them. You know each of their personalities, know who is who – their voices are distinguished. You will laugh at the craziness of the group, their banter, their comebacks and biting, you will swoon over Riley and Ace, you will feel the heat sizzle between them and then comes to barrage of emotional scenes. The scenes which will tear at your heartstrings, both good and utterly devastating ways. Ways in which you can see above – in which I am an utter mess.
The Summer I Fell is about Riley and her boys – The Six. She has been with them for as long as she can remember and she will do just about anything for them, and vice versa. She doesnt have it easy in school, especially as her best friends are six boys. It’s also hard when she’s in love with one of them – Jake ‘Ace’ Aceton. She just cant tell him.
Ace has been in love with Riley for as long as he can remember, but due to an oath The Six made, Riley was off limits until Graduation. When he overhears her telling her best friend she loves him. It’s fair game now, and he wants Riley for himself. He’s pined and waited long enough.
But with Riley’s college plans falling through, and The Six going their separate ways, Riley is trying o hold it all together, hating the change happening but she cant stop it. Saying goodbye is hard, but saying it to Ace is even harder. But when life comes crashing along, crumbling Riley’s world, all she wants is Ace back.
But what happens if that isn’t possible?
Riley is the glue to The Six. The guys will do anything for her; protect her, tease her, love her, make her feel part of the group and you can really see how much they dote on her and how much she adores them all too – apart from one of them. Jake ‘Ace’ Aceton. She is actually head over heels in love with him. I loved her character. She’s feisty, she’s hotheaded yet there is a vulnerability to her. That comes with a parent who works away a lot, how she feels the guys just put up with her and due to her college dream falling through. But once her gets over her inner battle, she is carefree, she’s caring and just wants to see her friends reach their dreams and leave their small town, even if it kills her that she is left behind.
I understood her pain when the guys left, especially Ace. We all have that constant pain in our heart and chest when the one we love goes away, and although I understood why she cracked, I loved that she put herself back together and got on with it. Got on with filling up her day, trying to keep herself and her mind busy until she could wind down and think about Ace. I connected with Riley, I understand how hard long distance is and not knowing when you are going to speak again but she is strong and she had her best friend, Paige and Ace’s mum around, as well as her job and being a surrogate sister, in a way, to Seth. Who was the cutest little guy.
And then everything came tumbling down within weeks. No joke, I sobbed for the last parts of the book. My chest hurting, my eyes blurry and I wanted to reach through my kindle and hug Riley and sooth her, let her know I was there for her. She has a tough ride – she needs the Six with her and you understand her denying, her pain, her tears; everything that leads her to breaking down. Her life has now been altered and its a lot to take in. Man I cried. And I need book two to know just what the hell is going to happen!!!
Jake / Ace is the strong and silent type. You can see why he choose the career he did. He has a bit of a temper, but the guys and Riley know when to reel him in and calm him down. I truly loved his character because from the get-go you could see how much Riley meant to him, how he would do anything to see her happy, take he pain away and to just be with her; chilling with her, comforting her, loving her.
Riley had an affect on him. He was in a trance when she was around, she was is everything and had been for years, but due to an oath the Six made, she was off limits. I loved that he felt the same way as she did for him. How he didn’t want a life without her in it, damn he didn’t want a future without her in it and you knew, just knew, that wherever he went, he would take her with him.
His love for her was unbelievable. You could see the adoration shine from him, could see that he wanted to spend every single moment with her and never let her go. But then he had to leave and you could see how much he didnt want to, but he had to, it was his dream. I loved the little scenes between he and Riley. The teasing, the love, the declarations he made before I left her. Even I wished I was Riley to have Ace. He was the perfect mix of loving, dominant and everything inbetween. A guy who you would be lucky to have, but he would say he was lucky to have Riley. They were lucky to have one another.
There are some sizzling scenes between the two of them as well. Sonja has written their transaction from friends to lovers perfectly. She has gotten their chemistry down to a T. Every little feeling, look and emotion they both convey for each other, when they were friends and to lovers could be felt and you could see the love they had for one another, the bond they had, both in and out o the bedroom. Yeah, these two have been pining over each other for years and now they have each other, there isn’t anything that can tear them apart…
I’m going to reiterate that ending. THAT ENDING THAT KILLED ME. My heart is in pain and I need book two now. Sonja, please don’t make me wait long to find out what happens. I don’t think I could take it!
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Z. Elizabeth 
Thank you!
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