Summer I Dared

De: Barbara Delinsky

Narrado por: Julia Gibson

Set on an island off the coast of Maine, this moving and powerful novel by New York Times bestselling author and "first-rate storyteller" (The Boston Globe) is about three people who survive a boating accident, exploring how each person deals with his or her own twist of fate, as well as the effect each survivor has on the other.

WHAT COMES AFTER THE MOMENT THAT FOREVER CHANGES YOUR LIFE?

This is the question that haunts Julia Bechtel, Noah Prine, and Kim Colella, the only survivors of a terrible boating accident off the coast of Maine that claimed the lives of nine other people.

Julia, a forty-year-old wife and mother, has always taken the path of least resistance. Pigeonholed by her controlling family and increasingly distant husband as "loyal" and "obedient," she realizes in the aftermath of her brush with death that there is more to her -- and to the world around her -- than she ever imagined.

Feeling strangely connected to Noah, the divorced, brooding lobsterman who helped save her life, and to Kim, a twenty-one-year-old whose role in the accident and subsequent muteness are a mystery, Julia begins to explore the unique possibilities offered by the quiet island of Big Sawyer, Maine. Suddenly, things that once seemed critical lose significance, and things that seemed inconsequential take on a whole new importance. With each passing moment, each new discovery, Julia grows more sure that after coming face-to-face with death, she must have more from life.

Resolving to make things right for the future and drawing on an inner strength she never knew she possessed, Julia passionately awakens to a new world, fearlessly embracing uncertainties in a way she couldn't have imagined only a few weeks ago.

Set off the coast of Maine, where lobstermen leave with the tides each morning to haul and reset their traps, and neighbors gather each night to feast on the catch of the day, Barbara Delinsky's The Summer I Dared is a deeply moving story of the risky but rewarding search for self, a story of survival, and of the irrepressible ability of the human spirit to rebound from disaster and to create life anew.

Good driving book

Would you consider the audio edition of The Summer I Dared to be better than the print version?

Most likely

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Summer I Dared?

When No ah and his son are caught in the storm

What about Julia Gibson’s performance did you like?

She gave the characters passion

If you could rename The Summer I Dared, what would you call it?

The Summer I Found My Power

Any additional comments?

The story did drag a little in places, but overall I enjoyed it

Makes me want to visit Big Sawyer Island

What did you love best about The Summer I Dared?

Sweet love story. How people deal with adversity.

What other book might you compare The Summer I Dared to and why?

Can't think of one at the moment

How did the narrator detract from the book?

I have listened to other books narrated by Julia Gibson and her narration is top-notch, and she is one of my favorite narrators. So, I don't know if this narration is one of Ms. Gibson's earlier works and she has since greatly improved, but her narration of this novel was poor and greatly distracted from the dialogue of the characters. Ms. Gibson's swallowing was very audible and frequent throughout the book. I listened to most of the book on 1.25x speed as doing this shortened her swallowing time. I did finish listening to the book despite the poor narration because I am a big fan of Barbara Delinsky.

If you could rename The Summer I Dared, what would you call it?

The Summer I Stopped Being a Doormat. (I obviously find questions like this irrelevant for a review.)

Great story!

Barbara never fails to take the reader with her! Love the imagery of Big Sawyer Island! Julia Gibson does an amazing job bringing the characters to life! Thank you, ladies!

OK But Not One of Delinsky's Best

I enjoyed this book but I did not think it was one of her best -- not in the same category with Coast Road or Three Wishes. Having said that, the story was engaging and the narrator was solid (a little too sweet voiced for me). I just thought she didn't really get below the surface on the central idea -- surving an accident that kills many others. Also, although the main character persists in saying that she is not running to a new man after shedding her olds man -- that's exactly what happens.

Enjoyable book about life on a Maine Island with excitement and romance

Interesting book set on a Maine Island. This book caught my interest since I vacationed in Maine for many years. Adding romance and some exciting adventures kept my interest throughout the book.