The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

By: Elizabeth O'Roark

Narrated by: Samantha Brentmoor, Lee Samuels

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

You don’t really know a guy until you’ve vacationed with him…

When Drew Wilson’s ex-boyfriend Joel “Six” Bailey asks her to go on his family trip to Hawaii with him just as her life is falling apart, she decides it's the perfect time to give him another chance.

The hitch? The Bailey family includes Six’s rude older brother, Joshua - a hot nerd doctor who has hated Drew since the moment they met and once suggested she’d steal the family silver.

Drew is determined to win the Baileys over and give this thing with Six a fair shot…but Joshua is making that difficult. Not simply because he is in her way at every turn, but because - as one tropical adventure leads to the next - she’s beginning to wonder if obnoxious, odious Joshua might be the brother she actually belongs with.

©2022 Elizabeth O'Roark (P)2022 Elizabeth O'Roark

Great story, funny and well done

I enjoy the narration in this story and have listened to it multiple times! It holds you in from the beginning and keeps you going all the way through - making you smile at so many spots.

Oils use more speed & more spice

I enjoyed this, but the burn ons overall pace was maybe a little TOO slow?
-Spice level pretty low
-No cheating

An enemies to lovers story of resiliency and transition

4.5 stars Devil in the Deep Blue Sea is my first book from this author and I loved it. Drew is an international superstar and Joshua is a dr who provides care in an underprivileged area. He is also the forbidden brother of Drew’s ex-boyfriend. Drew vacations with the brothers’ family and is forced into close proximity with Josh. His brother, Six, is notably absent for part of the vacation and when he is present, he’s still not around.

The story is well written to show the true side of each character. Drew is the misunderstood starlet and she would rather keep it that way than let the truth be known. Josh is the caregiver, picking up on subtle clues so he can get to the origin of the problem. There is crude humor, but it is a defense mechanism Drew has learned to use. Over the course of the story, the transformation from enemies to lovers is well written. The audiobook narrators have rich voices, and it is easy to imagine Drew as a singer and Josh as a leader and a lover. I can’t for the next installment.

Drew & Joshua💖

🔘Pop Star fmc
🔘Brother’s ex girlfriend
🔘Mental health
🔘Grumpy Sunshine

Drew, a superstar facing a personal crisis, makes a bold decision to go on a vacation to Hawaii with her ex-boyfriend and his family. Little did she know that her heart would be thrown into disarray when she comes face to face with Joshua, her ex's brother. Suddenly, doubts flood her mind, making her question if she had been with the wrong brother all along.

✨Thoughts✨
Without a shadow of a doubt, everything written by Elizabeth O'Roark is nothing short of extraordinary. I have yet to find a book of hers that I didn't love. Her storytelling skills, combined with the perfect blend of humor and angst, never fail to leave a lasting impression. In this particular story, the main characters effortlessly claimed a piece of my heart, which, truth be told, they can hold on to for as long as they want!

Our FMC, Drew, is burdened by the weight of fame. She is misunderstood and mistreated by her family and manager. She also struggles with her insecurities. It was agonizing to witness her pain. I found myself wanting to comfort her. However, even in the face of her vulnerability, Drew's resilience shone through, and she managed to maintain a sense of humor that made her all the more endearing.

Joshua, on the other hand, was a handsome grump who I couldn't help but fall head over heels for. With his life seemingly put together, he became a beacon of hope for Drew, showcasing the possibility of a brighter future. His tenderness and strength were truly a sight to behold. The way he helped lift Drew up during her darkest moments was nothing short of beautiful. Needless to say, he has become my ultimate book boyfriend.

Surprisingly, I find myself liking the ex-boyfriend, Six. You can't really stay mad at him. He's charming. I can already envision his story, him falling in love and experiencing a bit of heartache.

🎧This story features a dual narration by Samantha Brentmoor and Lee Samuels. Samantha Brentmoor brilliantly captures the essence of Drew!

Overall, if you crave a forbidden romance infused with great banter, this book is an absolute must-listen! Elizabeth O'Roark's incredible talent shines through once again!

Emotional, Heartfelt, Hot and Steamy Romance!

I loved this slow-burn, heartfelt, steamy, forbidden romance! It had everything I love to read in a perfect blend of humor, heart, and heat. Drew and Joshua didn't get off on the right foot at first meeting. Drew was invited on a family trip to Hawaii by Joshua's brother. She went as a friend only because she needed an escape from her own career that wasn't turning out to be what she wanted.
As the trip went on in the tropical, romantic paradise, Drew and Joshua struggled to keep others happy. But lines started to blur when Josh and Drew saw and understood each other more than anyone else. They tried to ignore the chemistry and attraction between them, but the more crazy situations they ended up in together, the closer they became. But what will happen when the trip is over and their lives are in different parts of the world? This was a funny, moving and steamy story that captured my heart. I loved watching Drew and Joshua's relationship grow and get stronger. They fit so well together and their and chemistry was palpable.
Samantha Brentmoor, and Lee Samuels did an amazing job portraying both Drew and Joshua in all their strengths and vulnerabilities. Together, these narrators brought this emotional, heartfelt, hot and steamy romance to life, keeping me totally engaged from start to finish.

I love it

This series is so good and the narrator do a fantastic job. Read it you will not be disappointed

“Tell me something no one else knows.”

I am so thankful that I’ve recently discovered Elizabeth O’Roark. This is my second book that I’ve read/listened to by her and it was even more amazing than the first book. The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea was a delicious and layered slow burn romance that sucked me in instantly and left me thinking about it long after I had finished it.

Drew was so tragically broken by circumstances in her life and she broke my heart so much. Her self-worth was so low and she struggled to stand up for herself and demand to be treated better. I loved how Josh helped her realize that she did deserve more and that she needed to take charge of her own life. He truly sees her.

I loved that we got Josh’s POV in this book. That was something I struggled with in the previous book. The insight into his thoughts was so valuable and made me fall in love with him so much. He’s a bit broken himself and he hides his attraction to Drew with snarky comments. When he finally begins to see the real her, he quickly realizes that there is so much more beneath the surface. Josh has his own demons to overcome as well.

The slow burn attraction between Josh and Drew was perfection. I could feel their longing and their despair at their situation. The banter and heat between them is absolute electricity. Add in the angst and heartbreaking situations that they find themselves in and I was so completely drawn into their story. Their journey was difficult and painful, but it was so worth it in the end.

I was absolutely entranced with the audio of this book. Samantha Brentmoor was so good as Drew and Lee Samuels was perfection as Josh. I could feel every emotion that these characters experienced and I lost myself in the story thanks to these two narrators.

Full of complex characters, heartbreaking situations and so much heat, The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea is both angsty and uplifting. I was completely immersed in these characters and I cannot recommend this story highly enough.

Top Notch Banyer

This book was amazing, and you get to meet some old friends Hayes and Tali make an appearance. While I loved their book, the banter and tension in this book was fire **Chefs Kiss**. I mean, pages into the book I was laughing at the banter between Drew and Josh.

Thank you for letting me revist my friends again via audio. This is a book that lives rent-free in my head, that's how much I love it.

Nice unexpected romance!!

The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, an Audiobook by Elizabeth O’Rourke is the story of Josh and Drew. She just broke up with Six, Josh’s brother. Now, she’s been invited to a family holiday to Hawaii…and it includes both Six and Josh. This makes for an awkward situation, especially since Josh hates her.

This was a slow-burn, sweet story of how these two unlikely people can become friends. Sweet, intense, and a wonderful romance!!! Great story!!!

This Audiobook was wonderfully narrated by Samantha Brentmoor and Lee Samuels, who both perform the story beautifully and without deterring from the story!

I am volunteering to leave a review for an Advance Reader Copy of this Audiobook.

Absolutely obsessed

Most recent listen: I have listened to this book soo many times when it was free on YouTube and then it wasn’t and I was sad. So I got it here and will likely listen to this book again, several times before this year is through.

First time: I am obsessed!!! My heart, my feelings 🥹🥹 I thought Hayes and Talia’s story had me in feelings, Josh and Drew broke my heart and put me back together 🥹 I saw so much of myself in Drew and how she carries herself and hides her emotions. And understanding how she became that way. And seeing how Josh and his mother helped her grow emotionally and not be scared of anything serious. And seeing her stand up for herself and taking her career back was great character development for her. And the spice in this book was just 🥵 I loved it all 🥰