Goodreads Summary: At the age of eighteen, Julia Jones left her hometown — the small beachside town of Middle Point — with a head full of grand plans. Plans for an exciting life in a town that didn’t involve a main street with one pub or a particular boy named Ryan Blackburn. But after fifteen years and a lifetime later, Julia’s forced to put her career and big-city life on hold when she returns home to finalise her mother’s estate. Which is exactly where she runs smack-bang into the town’s hero, Ry. As in Ryan Blackburn. The sensible thing to do? Stay the hell away from him and head back to Melbourne as fast as her stilettos can carry her! But instead, Julia finds his offer of a helping hand and a hot body too delicious to refuse. Soon, Julia’s ignoring her better judgement and diving into an ‘I’ll think about it tomorrow’ fling with Ry. But what she doesn’t realise is that tomorrow has a way of sneaking up on you...and that saying goodbye to her home town — and to Ry — is so much harder the second time around.

Title: Nobody But Him

Series: Boys of Summer #1

Author: Victoria Purman

Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises Australia

Release Date: 1st October 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: Paperback ARC

Source: Harlequin Australia - thank you!

Debut and the first in the Boys of Summer trilogy, Nobody But Him is filled with heartache, regrets and love. Victoria Purman had a fabulous story to tell of a small town girl with only one dream and that is to run away. I loved Ry, the gorgeous successful businessman with such loyalty and passion. Julia is a typical female and only wants to hear what suits her.

Julia Jones is 33 years old and has returned home to Middle Point on the coast of South Australia. Her Mother died a year ago and she has decided it is time to organise her Mother’s things and make a decision on the childhood house.  Growing up in Middle Point had been great until her Father died in a tragic car accident and that’s when everything got turned upside down. Her Mother grieved a lot and Julia had to be strong to support her Mother. That was the summer she met Ryan Blackburn.

Ryan Blackburn (Ry) didn’t want for anything. He is an only child and his Father’s successful business allowed the family to holiday during the summer in Middle Point. The summer he met Julia changed him forever. Falling in love and having fun with Julia was the best thing in his life, until she broke his heart. Julia was eighteen, had big plans and nothing or no one will stand in her way. She needed to leave Middle Point and headed for Melbourne to become successful and prove herself. Driving away from Ry and never looking back, Julia figured she would never see Ry again.

Fifteen years after they last saw each other and Julia is helping her best friend, Lizzie at the local pub waitressing. Serving a table of snotty city slickers, Julia 

had to keep her tongue in check. The man among the party returned and when Julia looked at him, BAM, it was Ry. Ry was angry and told Julia to leave that she was not welcome in the pub ever again to work or relax.

Living in the small town, Ry and Julia seemed to keep running into each other. It appears they were meant to deal with the circumstances of their teenage romance. Julia walks into her Mother’s house and discovers that Ry lives next door. She had no idea that Ry would live in the ugliest house in Middle Point.

Ry finds out the reason for Julia’s return and feels terrible for her loss. Losing his Father five years ago, Ry knows how she feels. Deciding to put the past aside, Ry helps Julia get the house ready for sale. Painting the living room together and spending the day hard at work, one thing led to another and their attraction overruled everything else.  Discovering each other again felt like they were destined to be together.

Ry headed to Adelaide for work and this gave Julia time to ruminate about everything that is going on. She has to deal with her grief for her Mother, the thought of being with Ry again, her life back in Melbourne and all of her memories from the past. Can Julia move forward and be with Ry? What about Melbourne?

Ry has organised the biggest development of his life and it’s in Middle Point. Julia is horrified that he would want to build 500 houses and destroy the small town quality. This is another nail in the coffin for Julia, believing he doesn’t really love this town and is only thinking about money.

After a terrible accident, Julia realises what she is meant to do and where she belongs. She recognises that family doesn’t necessarily mean blood family, but the people around you that love you.

Will Julia go back to Melbourne? Will she break Ry’s heart again? What was she running from fifteen years ago? Will she really sell the house that holds all her memories?

Watch Julia discover what is really important in life and how she goes about changing it. Find out what Ry’s life has been like for the past fifteen years and how he has changed into the considerate, mind-blowingly handsome developer. I always love reading Australian novels and this is no exception. Set in South Australia is something new to me and I loved it. I am excited this will be a trilogy and cannot wait for book two, Dan and Lizzie’s progression.

4 GREAT AUSSIE BOOKS

About the Author

I first experienced the thrill of being published when I was fifteen and ‘Woman’s Day’ published a short story I had submitted. The editor wrote, “We think you ought to look out in the future for the name of its young author.”

I used the $100 I was paid (what a fortune to a teenager) and bought a typewriter, as all aspiring writers would have back in the 1980s.

Life got in the way of that writing career and, since then, I’ve studied journalism at university, worked as a television and radio journalist, a speechwriter, a publicist, a communications consultant, a political adviser, and a public servant. Not to mention mum, chef, taxi driver, volunteer and problem-solver.

Just a few…ahem… years after my first story was published, I woke up and realised I’d spent most of my working life writing for other people. So, I decided it was finally time to tell stories of my own.

My Boys of Summer trilogy is set on the south coast of my home state of South Australia, somewhere I simply must do a lot of research. When I’m not writing, I spend time with my husband, three sons, a disobedient dog, my loving, extended family and dear friends.

A three-book deal with Harlequin Australia is a dream come true.

I’ve just finished a stint as Writer In Residence at the SA Writers Centre, which gave me a quiet place to work on the third book in the trilogy.

~ Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~

~ Pinterest ~ LinkedIn ~