Summer Is for Lovers audiobook

**Published on Buried Under Romance as part of a blog tour. GIVEAWAY there!!Come experience the delights of Brighton, where the air is fresher, and the love is ever so beautiful.At twelve years old, Caroline Tolbertson was already a great swimmer, a talent she used to rescue a David Cameron from drowning, and promptly fell in love with him. Alas, David had his own demons, and the image of the young girl who saved his life faded into the distance...until years later, when they meet again.At 23, Caroline has to marry well, for her family is near destitute. Being neither beautiful in face nor figure, her inner beauty was often overlooked, the pure and kind soul without yet a chance to surface. Her sole sanctuary was the ocean, where she felt whole and wanted. When she meets David again, fascination flares, yet he is only the second son of a Scottish baron, a man without name or fortune, unable to aid her family.When news of a swimming competition and a monetary prize offered is announced, David knew that he would have to ask Caroline for guidance if he wishes to win, and in return he would aid her in her matrimonial pursuits. No talk was made of Caroline's insecurities and lingering infatuation with David, nor David's guilt over his wife's death. Yet in such a magical setting as Brighton, it seems only fitting that Caroline and David would reveal all of each other's secrets until all they have left is each other.There are many aspects of the story that are fascinating, from the characters to the activity of swimming. Caroline and David have always been honest with each other, genuine with their words, and even more so with their affections. Caroline long realized that her youthful infatuation for David was far less than her love for the wounded, selfless man she had come to known, and I applauded every action she took to end David's self-misery. David was an empty shell , a man so swamped with guilt that he doesn't feel he deserves love, much less a life with Caroline. Yet, even in his every frustrating denial of his feelings, one can't help but appreciate how far he's come on his own, marking his own space in an age when second sons were left few options, and his nobleness. His self-sacrifice for his wife made him an noble idiot, and it finally took Caroline to convince him of his worth."My father had just died, but because of you, I found hope. Because of you and your encouragement, I continued to swim." (Loc 4137)However, I feel David's past had been resolved far too quickly -- with a few scant words from his mother -- and his actions did not portray his guilt over his late wife's death. This part felt stilted and a weak link in providing a reason for his not being able to marry Caroline, which was the central struggle of this novel. All said and considered, Summer is for Lovers read just like its setting -- soothing, pleasant, and relaxing, providing a frolicking good fun for readers in want of a respite from the more action-filled books. I fell into the lightness of the story despite its character complexities, and enjoyed the exploration on swimming (Caroline's freestyle vs. the gentlemen's breaststroke). Jennifer McQuiston has vividly portrayed the beauty of Brighton, spinning a tale of understanding and fun adventuring that will keep readers entertained for hours. Readers will surely willingly drown themselves into the story, as I have done.*Review copy courtesy of the publisher for an honest review

This was another refreshing, light hearted romance from the up and coming Jennifer McQuiston! While I did not like it quite as much as her debut, What Happens in Scotland, I really loved that this was set in Brighton and the entire aspect of swimming. Our heroine, Caroline, grew up in Brighton swimming in a secluded cove and when she rescues a man one day, her heart is lost to him forever. Daniel has demons that he keeps locked up tight and feels he is not good enough for the willful, eccentric Caroline so he pushes her away, even though it pains him. While this book was enjoyable, I did feel like it all moved just a bit too slow. There is plenty of simmering tension between Caroline and Daniel but I really just wanted to smack Daniel upside the head and tell him to move on from his grief to this wonderful woman waiting for him. I really enjoyed the addition of Caroline's sister, Penelope and hope to see her get her own happily ever after! What makes this story stand out is the attention to detail regarding swimming in this era and that makes this book a real treat. Delightful and charming, this is a story about acceptance and finding yourself stronger with a partner. I eagerly look forward to more even though this one lacked a bit for me. 3 1/2 starseARC provided by Avon Books via edelweiss

More often than not, I find myself lamenting the writing style of authors in the historical romance genre. Either the language is too simple or too modern, the setting and descriptions not appropriate, or the protagonists too insipid and their stories too predictable. In Summer is for Lovers, Ms. McQuiston is pitch perfect. This is a story to be read slowly, the better to appreciate the effort the author obviously took in writing it. It's also set in my favorite season and location for love stories; summertime and near a body of water.Summer is for Lovers is set in Brighton, England. Caroline Tolbertson and David Cameron first meet when Caroline is twelve. An avid and accomplished swimmer, familar with a stretch of hidden beach and its dangerous peccadillos, Caroline saves David, a young man in the military, from what appears to be a drowning brought on by excess drink. For the next eleven years, David is all Caroline can think about, becoming her fantasy whenever she thinks of love. The townspeople of Brighton and the summer set down from London every year, however, see her in a not all together flattering light. Her height, her lean swimmer's build and her family's lack of money all contribute to her self-doubt. That is until David Cameron comes back into her life.David fights a ghost of his past, and holds Caroline and her wish to turn fantasy into reality at bay. But he can keep the battle up for only so long. He is the only one who sees Caroline for what she really is. And in trying to get the rest of their circle to see it also, he inadvertently puts her in a position of leaving him behind. He cannot have her, yet he doesn't want anyone else to have her either.The culmination comes in an exciting swim race that sees our protagonists work together for a common goal. David, meanwhile, realizes that his past is something he is not entirely at fault for and begins to forgive himself. Caroline learns that propriety, love, self-worth and following one's own desires are not mutually exclusive.This is an extremely well-written, absolutely lovely tale of two hearts who fight a strong battle against the tide to be together. Filled with secondary characters (one of whom gets her own sequel) worthy of the main story, Summer is for Lovers is an historical romance that gets a highly recommend from me. Excellent!!

I love it when the ugly duckling transforms into a swan.Caroline Tolbertson is that ugly duckling. She's tall and athletic back when men liked their ladies petite and soft. She's a secret swimmer at a time when ladies had to be careful about showing their ankles. She's brave and passionate in a time when women were expected to cower and lie back and think of England. Of all of McQuiston's heroines to date, I think Caroline might be my favorite. She's an awesome mix of vulnerable and confident.I really, really love it when a tortured hero finally realizes he's worth. He's been waiting for the right woman all along.David Cameron (yes, that's the name of the Prime Minister. He should be flattered.) has made some mistakes. Now he thinks he isn't husband material. Unfortunately, he owes a large debt of gratitude to Caroline--after all, she saved his life. He tells himself he's going to help her find a husband, but she seems to already have someone in mind.Okay. Story time. Here's the deal. McQuiston always crafts a story that is something different. About a third to halfway through there was a point where I was sure she was going to go the marriage of convenience route. Oh, no. She made everything worse and, by that, I mean deliciously better. I ate this story up like Tonga Toast at the Kona Cafe. Brighton is such a fresh new setting. There's a fabulous party scene toward the beginning, bathing houses, and even a race! I. Love. This. Book.As I said before about What Happens in Scotland, this ain't your mama's historical. It's got humor and pathos and originality oozing from its pages.

I wavered between 3.5 or 4 stars - so I rated a bit generously. I liked the book, but at times, it was very repetitious. I do like Ms. McQuiston's writing, so I look forward to more by her.

Every girl has dreamed of summer love....this book not only brings that dream to life, but opens your imagination to a whole new level. The details that she has so carefully crafted overwhelm your senses...you can smell the ocean! Fantastic read!

Disclosure: I received this book via Edelweiss as part of the book tour. Thank you to Tasty Book Tours, Avon and to Jennifer McQuiston for the opportunity. Yes, this is an honest review.* * *Caroline is Brighton-born and bred and, thanks to her father's instructions, is an expert ocean swimmer, despite her mother's disapproval. She has discovered a hidden cove where she enjoys her secret passion.David Cameron tried to kill himself in Brighton twelve years ago but a very young Caroline saved him, masterfully cutting through the waves and treacherous currents and dragging his very drunk person to shore. Now he has returned to Brighton with his mother, who is seeking treatment for consumption. He remembers that night he almost died but what he remembers more vividly is the girl who saved him.It is summer and Brighton is awash with visitors from London, all anticipating the Queen to vacation there. It is a glorious time for Brighton's business and families but an annoyance for Caroline, who no longer has the privacy of swimming in her beloved waters. Add to that, Caroline knows of her mother's dwindling savings and it is up to her to save the family by marrying well. Her mother hopes she might make a match with one of the young men who are currently visiting Brighton but Caroline knows that the chances of that happening is less than zero. She is too lanky, too tall, with too broad shoulders and too unfashionable clothing to make any sort of favorable impression on anyone.Until David comes along -- and changes everything for Caroline. I have a confession to make: I don't know how to swim. I've tried to learn at several points in my life: as a child, as a young adult, and even now as a mom -- but I can't get past the idea of floating. There is something so daunting about being so vulnerable, about letting go and about trusting the water to buoy me up. I think I might be too big, too tense, too afraid, too everything for the water to support me. Isn't love the same way? And, isn't life? We go through both with such doubts, such fears about how we would fit and be accommodated and the idea of trusting someone or something other than ourselves is a challenge that every person needs to face and eventually overcome.Jennifer McQuiston's Summer is for Lovers features two characters: one who has embraced and trusted the world and one who has yet to hurdle the obstacle. Swimming is the metaphor that McQuiston utilizes to illustrate the different stages of readiness and acceptance in her characters: Caroline has only known the ocean and understands the currents, the tides, the waves -- she knows when it is okay to jump in and when it is too dangerous. She also knows when it is okay for others to enjoy the waters. Caroline represents the character who is open to all possibilities but such awareness is also a burden: she is too self-critical and her openness makes her vulnerable to anyone who would seek to harm her.Then there is David, whose experience of swimming was restricted to the loch in Scotland. The loch has clear boundaries and the waters are quite predictable. David is the character who is only comfortable when he has control over his environment. The event that precipitated his suicide attempt twelve years ago has made David too wary of the "surprises" of life: he would rather live it according to his terms and dictates.It is Caroline who encourages David to step out of his comfort zone and try something new. It is Caroline who makes David feel something again -- but the feeling reminds him too much of his past that David must wrestle with his instincts of self-preservation.He had kissed her tonight for no reason other than to show her what a proper kiss could be, to shape her knowledge into something she could use in the future. His point had been made. So why couldn't he stop thinking about her? She finally disappeared from view and he could breathe again. He wanted nothing more than to follow her. To make sure she made it home safely, to be convinced she understood the experience he had offered had been just that: an experience, with no expectation -- or promises -- of anything else.- loc 1569 The tug-of-war between the two of them continues: there is the attraction that they cannot help but act upon but, at the same time, they realize that what they have can never be. Caroline needs money to secure her family, which David doesn't have and David cannot give Caroline his heart, which he buried twelve years ago. However, Caroline is no stranger to rough waters and she challenges and pushes at David to yield to the possibility of happiness."I don't want to dance with someone else," she told him. Her mind, which had been tied up in knots, began to slip free. In fact, it started sliding down the steepest of slopes, tumbling end over end, with only one possible outcome in sight. "I want to dance with you."He shook his head, a notion that made him appear unexpectedly vulnerable. "Whatever you think of me, whatever misimpression I have fostered, I am sorry. Truly, I am." His voice had gone hoarse, and she latched on to the regret that hung in his words with all the finesse of a drowning woman. "But I am not a worthy partner for you, Caroline. I am just trying to help --"- loc 2416The pivotal moment in their relationship comes during the annual swimming competition, the pot money for the year had been increased substantially and Caroline knows that if she wins it, the prize would keep her family afloat a while longer -- but, how could she? A female? The competition happens when Caroline is already fielding the attention of several eligible men. Winning would delay the inevitable but it would still be inevitable -- but the idea that she had more say in when and whom is just so very tempting to Caroline. David encourages her to join but she cannot jeopardize her reputation to win it, so he offers to swim in her stead. They would split the money and all Caroline needs to do is teach David her special stroke.It may seem that, throughout the novel, it is Caroline leading the way with David following -- but theirs is actually a very equal relationship: both have something to offer the other. David showed Caroline and the whole of Brighton who she was: the beautiful person hiding behind the old clothes and the salt-sticky hair. (Read: Chapter 9, David's conversation with Dermott, Branson and Hamilton about Caroline.)She was swimming, for the first time since her father's death, with someone else. Someone who wasn't judging her. Someone who made her laugh.Someone who made her want.- loc 1364Jennifer McQuiston's debut novel was fun and lighthearted, Summer is for Lovers raises the emotional bar up a notch: like the waves, this story will surge and swell with David and Caroline's tentative explorations, will roll and crash with their heartache and confrontation and will leave you breathless and excited when things finally fall into place for them. The author continues to blaze her own trail in the world of romance with her very unique perspective and stories. This one is definitely a keeper.Final note: Following the swimming metaphor, there is actually a third group of swimmers: the females who, because society has deemed them too delicate for the open sea (and whose swimming attires were considered too scandalous for the public), indulge in a "sea bath" via bathing machines. They are made to believe that it is adventurous and athletic -- that it is sufficient. It is an interesting commentary on a woman's very fixed place during that period. "Some women are quite frightened by the ferocity of the waves, miss," the attendant explained as he opened the door to the yellow box. Up close, the bathing machine appeared even less hopeful than it had from a distance. The paint was peeling off in large swaths, revealing tedious, weather-beaten wood beneath.Even the horses hitched to the front appeared bored.The man motioned to a red flag that lay against the outside of the house. "If you become overwrought, you needn't stay out your entire allotted time. Just pull the rope inside to signal the flag, and we'll send the driver out, straight away."- loc 2909

This is the secoond book in a series and while the first one was really different and yes bored me a little in the end this one was just really cute.Caroline Tolbertson, comes from a family with few opportunities and funds is lacking. She has a secret, she rescued a man from drowning 11 years ago. Suddenly he's back. The set is in Brighton and that is quite different and not as uptight.What I liked:The swimming heroineHer contact with her dead fatherThe changes in the hero, who I thoght I would dislike after the first bookWhat I didn't like:The whole, I'm still in love with this dead girl- theme was a bit tiresome. Increadible how much they could go about without a proper shaparonThe evil suitor, didn't feel realistic.Heat level: 2,5Actual rating 3,8, rounded up to 4

This is the second novel by Ms. McQuiston in her Second Sons series [for my review of the 1st book ‘What Happens in Scotland’, go here], and in this story we have a wonderful Prologue in which our hero meets a very young girl that saves his life. I thought it was such a poignant meeting and couldn’t wait for them to meet again some eleven years later and I wasn’t disappointed with their second meeting either as it was as much poignant as their first.As a matter a fact, the care and pace the author took to develop their budding relationship was what I loved and appreciated the most in this story. It was important to me because Caroline is only twelve when they meet, while he’s already in his twenties and even though she is twenty-two as they reacquaint themselves with each other, both are aware of the strong currents and a thread that is pulling them to each other, yet the slower pace of their romance gives their story strength and lends more believability to it.I also loved the setting of this story, which was Brighton. The author did such a great job of taking me through this wonderful place in all its Victorian glory.This is definitely character driven story in which our hero David is a very complex man with inner demons that are overwhelming him and the only person that is capable of exorcising them is another complex and strong-willed woman such as Caroline.If you’re in a mood for a solid, sweet and at times complex romance, this one’s for you. I highly recommend it.Melanie for b2bComplimentary copy provided by the publisher

I really enjoyed Jennifer McQuiston's debut, but this book blew me away. So much love. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for an unrequited love story. When Caroline Tolbertson was 12, she rescued a drowning man. Eleven years on, she's still nursing a tendre and still swimming--secretly, because women of her day weren't exactly encouraged to engage in the kind of athleticism our heroine indulges in on a daily basis. Not only that, she's developed a swimmer's body due to her activities, which leads to feelings of feminine inadequacy, especially when the first man she kisses tells everyone else it was like snogging a boy. (At which point, I had to wonder how he knew what kissing a boy was like, but perhaps the author didn't intend me to go there. Ahem.)Enter our hero, David Cameron, who has accompanied his mother to Brighton so she can improve her health. He quickly discovers Caroline's secret but also stands up for her when the other men belittle her looks. Suddenly she finds herself surrounded by suitors, except the one she wants, David, is not available to her.Yet.If you're looking for something outside the box when it comes to historicals, Ms. McQuiston looks like your go-to author. Set in Brighton, instead of the usual London or Bath or country house, a heroine who might well swim across the English Channel if she set her mind to it, and a book that centers around a swimming competition. Oh, and there just might be a few scenes in the beginning that show the Victorian-era equivalent of the high school party we all attended--the one our friends held when their parents went away for the weekend. Lots of fun, humor, and steam to be had.