The Summer I First Saw You

The Summer Series, Book 5

De: Elizabeth O'Roark

Narrado por: Samantha Brentmoor, Jason Clarke

An angsty, age gap, forbidden romance from bestselling author, Elizabeth O'Roark.

Once upon a time, my buddy’s niece was a toddler in a swim diaper following me around the beach. Now Daisy’s twenty-one, the loveliest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on, and blackmailing me into letting her stay for the summer.

If she’s not bent over on my deck in yoga pants, she’s in a bikini that covers far less. She makes me laugh when I want to stay pissed off and forces me to remember all the things I used to love. If only she wasn’t so damn young and so incredibly off-limits.

The tension between us is getting harder to resist, but giving in would destroy some of my oldest friendships. Worst of all, though?

It might destroy Daisy too.

©2024 Elizabeth O'Roark (P)2024 Elizabeth O'Roark

A cute summer romance

The romance between these two is just so good! They kept me wanting more! A 5 star for sure!

GREAT

This is performed in duet style narration. It was fantastic to listen to. Beautiful love story with some spice.

Loved it

Hot age gap. Hot narrators. Great story. Loved the way the narrators portrayed it the characters.

I’m so sad it’s over

Loved the narrators and the story, but what I loved most is that this was a story about living the life they makes you happy and about learning that who you are is always going to be enough for those who love you.

Angst filled, steamy and emotional!

The way I devoured this book because I could not stop listening once I started. “The Summer I First Saw You” is an angst filled, steamy and emotional age gap forbidden romance that has easily moved up to my favorite of the series.

To say Harrison had a rough year is understatement. His marriage is over after his wife left him for another man and he’s been hiding out in his beach house because he’s not ready to face his friends. Daisy is back home after her mom says she’s leaving her husband but at the last minute, they reconcile. Daisy doesn’t want to stay in the same house and since everyone thinks Harrison is out of town, she invites herself over there until she can figure out her next move. And both are surprised when they see each other in his house. Daisy slyly blackmails Harrison into letting her stay for the summer. But the crush she had on him while growing up has her looking at him in a different way and Harrison is seeing her more than his best friend’s younger niece.

The angst for this book is top notch and had hooked me in from the beginning. Daisy has always felt the pressure from her mom to excel at school and have a career she can fall back on. But Daisy is a simple woman; she wants to surface and find someone she can have a family with. Harrison had been working his adult life and wanted to take the next steps with his then wife to have a family. But her cheating and leaving him was crushing to him. Daisy “breaking in” to his house was exactly what he needed. She was the much needed sunshine to his grumpy. The age gap between the two is eleven years and Harrison struggled with his attraction to Daisy since he had known her since she was a kid. Nothing happened until she returned home at 21. I loved the banter between these two and I found myself laughing out loud more than once at these two. Daisy found all of Harrison’s buttons and knew how to push them in the best ways. These two were destined from the moment she snuck into his house and I just loved them together. These two had so much growth as individuals and as a couple. The ending was so perfect for them.

Samantha Brentmoor and Jason Clarke narrated this audio in duet and I loved them together so much. Samantha’s narration was perfect, she brought Daisy’s fun yet vulnerable side alive perfectly. Jason was amazing as the grumpy yet kind and caring Harrison. Jason brought his all in his narration and I loved listening to him as Harrison.

I will miss these summers

When Daisy comes home to see her mom per her request, she realizes she can't stay with her. The reason she came home was her mom's divorce, but her stepfather is pretty much still in the picture and she can't stand him, with reason. So, she flees, but instead of going home to DC, she goes to Harrison's - her uncle's best friend - hoping to crash there. She assumes he won't be there as he is supposedly in LA with his new girlfriend. Well, he's not. Harrison is pretty much holed up at home, hiding behind a bottle, licking the wounds from a messy divorce and avoiding his friends. Daisy has no problem blackmailing him - let her stay or she'll tell everyone. So, she stays, and Harrison is horrified that little Daisy is not a little girl anymore. She's 21 and all woman. She's the sunshine he always craved in his life. And Daisy has always loved him most of all. Lines will be blurred, feelings will get complicated, truths will come out,  but two soulmates always find a way to each other. 
Narrated in duet by Samantha Brentmoor and Jason Clarke, who are perfectly cast here. Samantha brings the young, sassy, vibrant but vulnerable Daisy to life and Jason is definitely the perfect choice for the broody, grumpy but totally smitten (and tortured by it) Harrison. Amazing audio!
Yes, there is an 11-year age gap and he's known her all her life but there is no discomfort factor here AT ALL. This IS indeed the summer Harrison is first seeing Daisy as the woman she became, and she is the woman of his dreams. 
A wonderful ending for an amazing series!

SUMMER romance AT IT'S ABSOLUTE BEST!

She's done it again! The great & mighty Elizabeth completely sucked me in & I couldn't stop with this one! I won't lie, Elizabeth scared me a little when she dropped the age-gap trope into my most beloved series. It's NOT my favorite but I'm here to say...ya'll NEEEEED to listen to this. Samantha & Jason seriously ride this wave clear out to the ocean! It is the slowest burn known to mankind, for reals, but I felt every single emotion, frustration & agonizing thought that Harrison had. Samantha voices Daisy, the dirtiest, little flirt that sends Harrison into a state of utter torture! I pressed PLAY & did not stop. These two absolutely captivated me with this forbidden romance & the genuine friendship between two people. I'm screaming about this!!! Can ya'll hear me?

Elizabeth is so good at writing emotionally charged romance. Daisy & Harrison's story takes you on an emotional roller coaster, from laughter, to tears, to frustration & agony. It's all there in this one. Both these characters have emotional baggage that they've been carrying around. Daisy wants to be "enough" for somebody & Harrison has lived his whole life making decisions trying to be the "perfect & responsible" son, spouse & husband. Basically just moving through life like a robot & never really making any decisions without thought for what HE really wants to make him happy.

He's known her from birth basically & the "icky" that sometimes comes with age-gap for me personally wasn't there. I was cheering for this unlikely couple to get their HEA so loud. Is Daisy young, yes, absolutely, but they are both two people who are searching for what life has to offer & how to get the kind of happiness they've only dreamed of.

Elizabeth left my jaw dropped with one hour left to go in the audio. I did not see that coming & I was glued to my earbuds to find out what happened between these two. There's so much banter & flirting & sexual innuendos flying around, it's ridiculous. Daisy is forward & uninhibited & honestly Harrison could stand to glean a little of that from her. This story is so steamy!

He's grounded & responsible & Daisy needs him to guide her in what's about to come smacking her in the face. I wanted to scream at these two goofballs a time or two but I was left cheering for the positives that they each gave to one another. He's most certainly worried about their age gap which is totally understandable but they genuinely like being together.

🎧Let's talk narration....folks, Samantha & Jason seriously made this story for me, without question!!! Their performances were amazing! Daisy tortures Harrison something awful with her flirting & traipsing around practically naked. Samantha just NAILS IT! You can just envision in your mind Daisy acting this way because she's THAT GOOD! I felt sooo bad for Harrison & Jason conveys the utter torture he's wrestling with. Obsessing over her & her age. Wanting her so badly but knowing he probably shouldn't partake. They were SPECTACULAR!

Elizabeth, if you write it, I'm reading it. If Samantha or Jason say it, I'm listening to it! This series is ABSOLUTEY without question, A FAVORITE & the same goes for the audios. If you LOVE angsty romance, the kind that makes you feel all the things, guts you in the best way & pieces you back together, this series should be on your list WITHOUT QUESTION!
End of story! It's a summer love I'll never get over!

Elizabeth O'Roark Always Delivers

Overall this is a heartfelt slow-burn love story with spectacular narration. Steam wasn't overly abundant but it was well written and placed. Age gap was also handled well. Story wasn't too deep, but wasn't fluffy either. It was an easy listen.

Clark and Brentmoor were perfect in duet narration. I know duet style is more expensive for authors, but it really enhanced the listen for me. Highly recommend this audiobook.

Sorry to see this series end…

Elizabeth O’Roark put the cherry on top of the Summer series sundae with The Summer I First Saw You!
 
Harrison has known Daisy her whole life, literally.  She’s his best friend’s niece.  He’s watched her grow and taught her how to surf.  Now she’s in his house and bears little resemblance to the teenager with a huge chip on her shoulder that he remembers.  Even worse, she knows that he’s been lying to everyone and she’s using that to her advantage.  Daisy needs a place to stay for the summer before she goes back to college to finish her degree so why not use Harrison’s house while he’s not there?  Only he is there and not the same cool, collected man she’s crushed on for most of her life.  Daisy and Harrison are both keeping secrets from the people who love them, but stuck together for the summer, sharing those secrets with each other, and succumbing to the attraction too strong to fight, they form a bond that heals their broken pieces.  But will it be strong enough to hold when every truth is revealed?
 
Samantha Brentmoor perfectly captured Daisy’s hard-won sunny outlook and her bratty teasing of Harrison.  She also navigated the dark parts of Daisy’s story with vulnerability and grace.  Jason Clarke’s tormented delivery of Harrison’s inner monologue as he fought his attraction for Daisy had me laughing out loud at times.  Jason portrayed Harrison’s journey to healing and falling for Daisy flawlessly.  I adored hearing these two narrate this story!
 
I can’t wait to see what Elizabeth has for us next!  I know I’m wildly curious about Harrison’s brother Oliver, now.

Captivating age-gap, forbidden romance!

I completely devoured this age-gap, forbidden romance! I have been waiting for the mysterious Harrison's story and it did not disappoint! Harrison had outlined his whole life, and felt like a failure when it didn't go as planned. Now he is avoiding his friends, afraid of telling them the truth. When his best friend's young niece shows up on his doorstep, needing a place to stay, he is reluctant to give in at first. But Daisy is quick to discover his truth and uses it to blackmail him into getting what she wants. Daisy is the breath of fresh air that Harrison needs. She loves the outdoors, and surfing, and she helps Harrison discover how to enjoy life again. Harrison has known Daisy her whole life, but now she is a woman, and she tempts his every thought. Daisy has loved Harrison since she was young. Now he is single, and she will do what it takes to show she is perfect for him. When they finally give in to their desires, it is explosive! But what happens when those they love most discover their secret affair? What happens when Harrison finds out the secrets that Daisy has kept from him? Can their fragile new love survive, or will they lose each other for good, breaking both their hearts? I loved Harrison and Daisy so much and cheered hard for their HEA. They were both trapped in a life they didn't want, and they helped each other have fun, and discover passion and true love.
I was so captivated by Samantha Brentmoor and Jason Clarke's narration. They easily bring out the push/pull between Daisy and Harrison, including with their friends and family, allowing me to experience their vulnerabilities and strengths, and sizzling chemistry! I love the emotion, and passion they brought to their performances, and I was completely invested in Daisy and Harrison’s journey from start to finish.