Review of I Hate Summer by H.T. Pantu

I Hate Summer by H.T. Pantu

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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.

I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!

Check out the I Hate Summer by H.T. Pantu blog post on Crystal's Many Reviewers.


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