Summer Is for Lovers

Second Sons #2

by Jennifer McQuiston

Brighton, 1842. Catherine liebt das Meer. Sooft sie kann, schleicht sie sich davon, um allein zu schwimmen. Ein großes Risiko, denn würde sie entdeckt, wäre ihr Ruf ruiniert.

Eine Dame geht nur geschützt vor allen Blicken in einer Badekarre ins Wasser, einem der kleinen Holzverschläge, die von Fuhrwerken in die Brandung gezogen werden. Doch dann begegnet ihr bei einem ihrer Ausflüge der attraktive Schotte David. Und der ist noch viel verführerischer als das funkelnde Meer an einem heißen Sommertag ...

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Victorian, Regency Romance

349 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 24, 2013

About the author

A veterinarian and infectious disease researcher by training, Jennifer McQuiston has always preferred reading romance to scientific textbooks. A New York Times and USA Today bestseller, her books include WHAT HAPPENS IN SCOTLAND, SUMMER IS FOR LOVERS, MOONLIGHT ON MY MIND, DIARY OF AN ACCIDENTAL WALLFLOWER, and THE SPINSTER'S GUIDE TO SCANDALOUS BEHAVIOR. She also has a novella, HER HIGHLAND FLING. Visit her website at www.jenmcquiston.com or follow her on Twitter @jenmcqwrites.

Reviews

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

$0.99 is a GREAT Bargain on the Kindle version! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B...

$4.99 at Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summe...

4 romantic, passionate, engaging stars!

Summer Is for Lovers is the second book in Jennifer McQuiston’s connected but not-quite-a-series, historical romance novels. This story starts off strong with a prologue that got right to the heart of things, and kept me turning the pages, unable to put it down.

Description…

His heart is unavailable.

Luckily, her interest lies in the rest of him…

Though she was just a girl when they first met, Caroline Tolbertson’s infatuation with David Cameron remains undimmed. Now fate has brought the handsome Scotsman back to Brighton for what promises to be an unforgettable summer. Soon, Caroline will have to choose a husband, but for now she is free to indulge her curiosity in things of a passionate nature.

That is, if David will agree to teach her.

Past mistakes have convinced David he’ll make a terrible husband, though he’ll gladly help the unconventional Caroline find a suitor. Unfortunately, she has something more scandalous in mind. As the contenders for her hand begin to line up, her future seems assured…provided David can do the honorable thing and let them have her.

When a spirited young woman is determined to break Society's rules, al a gentleman can do is lend a hand…or more.

My quickie review…

There are many things to love about this story but, hands down, it’s David and Caroline who made this an absolute delight! To say this story is character driven is, in my opinion, putting it mildly. I adored Caroline’s ‘uniqueness’ amongst her ‘peers’ and found David’s self deprecation both poignant and humorous. Their quick wit, and hesitant (mostly) reaction to their undeniable sexual chemistry had me grinning, sighing, and fanning myself, often.

The bottom line…

If you’re a fan of historical romance and read everything you can get your hands on, then get your hands on Summer Is for Lovers. It’s fun, light, steamy, and romantic, and you’ll be glad you did!

My thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

[KatLynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer is For Lovers opens with a prologue that grabbed me from the get go and I soon found myself totally engaged in this light, fun read. The story takes place in the small seaside town of Brighton and is centered around swimming. The heroine, Caroline Tolbertson, hides her passion for swimming from most everyone. Her body is that of an athlete and along with being tall, she doesn’t fit in with most of the soft, curvy figures of the day. A highlight is watching Caroline gain her self confidence as she matures into a young woman who is happy with her differences.

The hero, David Cameron, is certainly swoon-worthy and I enjoyed the author’s realistic writing show casing his shortcomings as well as all the things I came to love about him. He understands Caroline’s plight to find a husband to ensure financial stability for her mother and sister. And while his heart may be unavailable, he finds he can’t resist Caroline’s request for more sexual knowledge adding spice to this romantic tale.

While Jennifer McQuiston’s debut novel, What Happens in Scotland, is still my favorite, this is also a winner. It’s a fun, engaging, well written story filled with witty banter, dialogue and a cast of characters that are endearing; making for an afternoon of wonderful escapism. I recommend this author to all those who enjoy this genre.

[Addie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 27%

boring and unimaginative characters, plot and dialogue

[Becca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read Summer is for Lovers as a buddy read with Andrea. Unfortunately, despite a unique concept and stellar opening, this book fizzled a third of the way through and neither of us could finish it. I gave up around the 65% mark.

Now, I've read a novella by McQuiston in the past and I absolutely adored it so not being able to finish this book did not put me off the author entirely. In fact, I really like how McQuiston writes. She is excellent at setting a scene and uses unique similes to establish imagery. Plus, there is a flow to her writing that I find enjoyable.

So why couldn't I finish this book? In this case, it came down to two things: the characterization of the hero and the plot. At the book's opening, the hero, David, is a bit mysterious (and older) and the heroine, Caroline, is a spunky, athletic girl. The story is set in Brighton and swimming in the ocean is a major theme. This was interesting! I was super into it. I had not read many stories taking place in Brighton and swimming had never been a major theme of any novel I'd seen before. However, as the story progressed, more about David was revealed and I was disappointed. I hate the "I've loved before and something bad happened so I can never love again because my heart died with her" trope. If it is truly believable, that's one thing. But in this case, David lusted for Caroline from the get-go. He pursued her, he thought about her, he made moves on her. And when she finally opens herself up to him, he pushes her away and says he is in love with a dead woman. Ugh man. Not cool...and cliché. I need to be a little in love with the hero to love a book and I just wanted to punch this guy for his wishy-washiness.

The second issue I had centers around the plot. What started as an interesting hook with a few eccentric sisters living in genteel poverty trying to keep their lives together while hiding secret friendships and interests (swimming and writing), soon devolved into a case of "everyone wants me except the guy I want" and new dresses no one could afford and endless pining. I love books that show an evolution of a character, but Caroline's sudden popularity felt forced. I didn't think David, a poor Scotsman no one knew, could influence a bunch of men from the noble set who had disliked Caroline forever. It just didn't ring true. And then to have David push Caroline away, she continues to pursue him, he kisses and touches her all over and they share all sorts of secrets, and they both deny love...it was just not my cup of tea.

I went into this story thinking it would be more insular. I thought it would be more about the swimming and the private friendship and the hardships a family without savings would have to endure. But it didn't play out that way. I read a lot of romance novels so I am a bit jaded when it comes to certain tropes. If you don't read a lot of historicals, you may still enjoy this story because the writing is strong. However, if you are more like me and are turned off by certain tropes that have been used countless times before (even in a new setting), this may not work for you.

Not recommended. What I do recommend is Her Highland Fling...that was funny and sweet and the imagery was excellent.

[MRB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this one this morning and seriously couldn't (and didn't!) put it down until I'd devoured it whole.

Quick plot synopsis: The slightly awkward yet more than slightly awesome Caroline 'rescues' our hero, David Cameron, in the very first scene. She's only 12, is grieving but staying strong following the recent death of her father, and, fortunately for our waterlogged hero, a phenomenal swimmer. He is...well, semi-suicidal and drunk, but also kind of charmingly self-deprecating, witty and noble. They meet again years later in the vividly depicted resort town of Brighton (such a fun and interesting change from the usual London ballrooms!), and continue to rescue each other in myriad ways. He helps her to gain greater social acceptance, though naturally becomes adorably (not creepily!) jealous when his plan works so well that she becomes desirable to other men. Meanwhile, she helps him to come to terms with the massive guilt he feels over supposedly contributing to the death of his first love. David thinks he's totally not worthy of Caroline, but they become close as friends and eventually as more and...well, if you can't guess how it ends, you're clearly not nearly as addicted to romance novels as I am. ;)

It's odd to describe a book that kicks off with a thwarted suicide attempt as such a generally joyful, spirited, upbeat and humorous gem, but that's exactly how I'd label this book. Rest assured that there's enough pathos to give the book some real substance, but overall it's such energetic, sweet-spirited, witty fun. In its style, tone and humor, it reminded me very, very much of Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove series. If you like Spindle Cove, I'm thinking you're extremely likely to enjoy (and probably even outright adore) this as well.

And, like Spindle Cove, there are some things about the plot and pacing that mildly irked. Parts of the story are somewhat predictable, unnecessarily drawn out and felt a little contrived (e.g., there's a somewhat exaggeratedly odious guy who at one point it looks like Caroline may 'have' to end up marrying by the end of the book----did any reader in the history of ever think that might actually happen?!) But, also like Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove, I loved the characterizations, prose, dialogue, and overall tone and spirit far too much to get too bothered about the pacing or plot. Prospective readers should also be aware of another similarity between this and Tessa Dare's Spindle Cove: that parts of the book feel as authentically 'historical' as an episode of Sex and the City ;) It's so infectious and engaging, though, that I couldn't quite bring myself to mind.

There's a little steam and some delicious, clearly-are-attracted-but-can't-quite-act-on-it-yet sexual tension, but it's the kind of book where the H and h develop a very strong friendship and an emotional connection that's far more emphasized than their physical one.

I almost never, ever pre-order books these days before carefully sampling them after they're released and even reading multiple reviews, so it's a measure of how much I loved this that I already pre-ordered the next book in this series, due out in March. And that I'm already embarrassingly excited for March to arrive!

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 72%

There's nothing really wrong with this book, I just didn't get into it :( I really enjoyed the first half, but then things happened and I couldn't really buy any of it...

I liked it at first, with a heroine who seemed to be likeably different, but then the hero shows up and just mentions to a few guys that she's really great, and suddenly she goes from laughed at outsider who has never been accepted because she's not pretty and has no money to belle of the ball? I kept waiting for it all to turn out to be some nasty trick the men were playing on her, but no! I just didn't buy it. At some point, one of them even proposes to her (without asking permission from her mother, who learns about this through the paper), and when the others find out they all come running and proclaim their undying affection for her. I honestly still feel like this is just cruel, but apparently they really mean it? I didn't finish it, so I don't know what happens there…
And then there was this lovely trope I particularly detest: So they met when she was 12 and he was in his 20s. She saves him from drowning and immediately crushes on him, because apparently that's what happens when you drag a drunken man -who was clearly trying to kill himself- out of dangerous waters. So after 10 years or so they meet again. They get to talking, everything was nice, and then he finally tells her why he almost drowned himself. Turns out, he was with this girl before he joined the army. He proposed after sleeping with her but she refused. He wrote to her (later finding out his letters never got delivered), she found out that she was pregnant, and killed herself. So now he's guilt-ridden because he "killed" her by "neglecting" her and can never love again because his heart still belongs to some girl who didn't want him and he is clearly unworthy of love. By 70% he was still going on and on about this girl, and I just had enough, because obviously he will realize that that wasn't love, that he was living in the past, and so on...

It's honestly not the book's fault, I just loathe that particular cliché and can live without it...

BR with "https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second novel by Jennifer McQuiston. Set in Brighton in 1842. Caroline Tolbertson has lived in Brighton all her life. Her father died when she was a child and she promised to look after her family. That means she'll have to marry but at 23 she is just about stuck on the shelf. David Cameron is back in Brighton for a few weeks while his mother recuperates. He was there 11 years ago and was saved from drowning by a 12 year old Caroline. Marriage isn't in the cards for David but he finds himself drawn to help Caroline in her quest for a husband.

Not your typical London setting with the ton. The heroine is no cookie cutter debutante and the hero is the second son of a Scottish baron. I found it to be quite enjoyable, fun, fresh, and unique.

[Hannah B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely cute but rather long for the meandering pace of the story. The sex scene had too much buildup to be so short though. Book #1 is still my favorite but I’m still trekking onto #3. I pretty much liked every character here, length and just not a lot going on was the main issue. I liked the swimming aspect though.

There was one open door adjacent scene. They did make out in the water a lot so it was a very ✨wet✨ book but left a lot to be desired.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5 🌶🌶.5/5

[Mary - Buried Under Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

**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

[Lillie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book and, to be honest, at first I did. I even had it in my mind to give this a four star rating. And then I stopped and actually thought about it.

I may have initially enjoyed the book but I think the things that kept annoying me throughout it ended up making this book lack any re-readability. What I could gloss over the first time, won't go down so well the second or third time.

First, I hated Penelope, Caroline's stuttering sister. Not cause she stuttered, oh no, I could care less about that. I hated her cause she was a fucking idiot. She said the wrong things, did the wrong things, and couldn't seem to read a situation to save her life. Despite being the older sister, she seemed to lack any real sense of responsibility or maturity that probably comes from an older sibling in a "genteel poverty" household. And don't get me started on how many time Caroline was thrown under the bus cause fucking PENELOPE couldn't keep her mouth shut. (For someone who claimed to not like her stutter she sure as hell fucking talked a lot.)



Second, Caroline seemed to have stupid reasons for doing things. I mean, yeh they were reasons but they were stupid reasons that I didn't buy even when i was caught up in the moment.

Third, this didn't seem like a "historical" novel to me. It felt like a contemporary romance parading around as a historical romance. There were a lot of manners and things done that wouldn't have been accepted, even in a "small, seaside town". I mean, girls walked around and went to parties without chaperons. Rich(or at least well off), marriageable, titled girls. Even Caroline went off with a bunch of suitors (a crowd of MEN) without so much as a kitchen maid or even her fucking stuttering sister with her. I... how??? What???



Number four on the list is how easily and quickly Caroline forgave David. I mean.. jfc.. I'm not one for grudges and I'm honestly the type of person that let's by gones be by gones but this girl literally would be mad at David for .05 seconds, he'd apologize and say something (kinda) charming, and bob's your uncle, he's forgiven. Even during the heat of the moment, she just let's it all go and forgives him. I don't think there was ever a moment where she was just mad and then storms off. He always manages to gain her forgiveness before she leaves and it was frankly really annoying, if not, down right sad.



And finally, the whole "every man in a 100 mile radius is now clamoring for odd and homely Caroline' affections" was fucking bullshit. I didn't believe it for a minute. David says a few things to some drunken boys and suddenly EVERYONE just HAS to court Caroline. Not a SINGLE man WASN'T after Caroline and it was just silly and forced. I kept thinking: "This has to be some joke right? A wager or something done to be mean to Caroline??" But no. They were legitimately moved by a single man's words that Caroline was worth courting simply because of her LEGS when not even 24 hrs before they treated her like a circus monkey, throwing biscuits at her and hoping she'll dance for their amusement.



It felt like a teenage movie where the frumpy girl gets some new clothes and OMG suddenly she's totally a new person!!!! *eyeroll

Other that those things, the book was pretty good for a quick, light read. I wouldn't read too deeply into anything or expect anything emotionally moving. I didn't really connect to well with the characters and despite kinda liking Caroline and finding David tolerable, there wasn't anything to jump over the moon for.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 stars

eARC provided by Avon Books via edelweiss

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!!

[Kit★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay, the buddies from our buddy read awhile back of What Happens in Scotland over in the Happily Ever After Cafe decided to buddy read this one too. I was pretty excited for this, as I highly enjoyed the first book. I can say I was not disappointed. I really liked this one too. After not being so fond of David in WHiS, I grew to like him pretty well in this one. I really liked Caroline though, she was a great heroine all around. I loved how she was strong, and didn't take too much crap, and stood up for herself with him. I also found myself really liking her sister Pen too, enough to hope she'd get a HEA too, which in a sort of way she does. The focus on swimming was neat, not something seen very much in HRs. And for the heroine to be the one who was good at it, even more rare. So that was fun. Plus learning about those bathing machines... shudder! Don't think I'd be volunteering for time in one. I did get a bit irritated with David for the mixed signals he kept sending, but I liked how Caroline dealt with it. Of course, knowing all along that they'll get their HEA kinda took some of the worry away, but I still liked how David had to worry that she might end up with someone else. My favorite part was the end though, the race, getting Mrs. T out of the house finally and reacquainted with her old friend the viscount, father of Miss Baxter. And of course Caroline getting to participate, and the victorious ending, the big kiss in front of the crowd... I had a big grin on my face. I can't wait for book three! Eager to see Miss Baxter in her own right. She was a hard character to figure, was she friend or foe, is she really a bitch, or was she just putting on a fancy snotty priss act. I remember liking Patrick very well in the first one, so eager to see him as a hero too, and find out about what had him running to the shelter of Moraig and his friends. I'm very impressed with what I've read from this author so far, and looking forward to lots more :)

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really adore this one. Maybe much more than the first, though that one was charming in its own right (once you get over the right everything happens in day). I was really excited over the premise and even more so when I read the inspiration behind it. And fortunately, this one did not underwhelm me.

I found the prologue to be adorable - a very competent 12 year old swimmer saves the life of a young twenty something young man. She enamored of him in a 12 year old way. He is embarrassed to be saved by a young girl, but grateful at the same time for reasoning behind being in the water is very dark.

Cue 11 years later and Miss Caroline is the butt of the summer set's joke in Brighton (I do like that the setting is not in London. We do get a sense of what Brighton was like in its hey day). Her first kiss to a young man does not go as planned and he of course spreads the rumor that she kisses like a boy (hey hey, how does he know how boys kiss?). With her athletic swimmer's body and lack of fortune she's seen as somewhat on the fringes of society. In those 11 years, she's thought about the man she saved and sees him as her romantic ideal.

David Cameron brings his mother to Brighton for its restorative baths and air since she is ailing. He sees Caroline and she is no longer the girl he remembered 11 years ago. Kudos to the author for Caroline thinking he wasn't as handsome as she remembered.

They both find themselves at a party and he can feel that their is something cruel amongst the boys in attendance and that Caroline is the butt of their laughter. He instantly feels protective and during a bonfire airs her praises to the young pups about her feminine qualities. The young men must view David as being a full grown man and full of womanly pursuits for they listen furiously and think there must be more to Caroline than meets the eye.

So what happens? A girl who thought she had no prospects and certainly did not have gentleman callers now has loads of them! David is jealous, but he views it a success because he cannot offer for her since his demons haunt him. Caroline agrees to school David on his swimming so that he can win a competition and split the prize money. This will help his coffers and will potentially delay her need to wed to support her mother and sister.

And can I just say, any sister who gets high on inhaling and ingesting cannabis is a winner in my book! And I enjoyed the mothers and their interference and obvious love and care of their children.

And also, I've never heard of bathing machines! By the hirsute cleavage of Queen Victoria! What in the world! I mean I just can't. Who thought sticking one of these in the ocean was a safe and smart idea? Here's a visual.




I thought the writing to be really well done. We get a sense of Brighton- it's promenades and certainly its beaches. When misunderstandings do arise, a misread glance or chuckle, the characters explain why they reacted that way. They don't leave things to further misunderstandings. When declarations and renounces are made the characters talk about it. I think at one point someone says "we need to talk". I mean, this doesn't happen very often, does it? I liked that it's a somewhat slow romance outwardly at least. Inside, both characters are fighting their emotions trying to come to terms with what they feel and what they plan on doing about it.

I adored Caroline. Sometimes I felt so bad for her because she felt she didn't fit in and then had to deal with snickering boys. But I liked she never felt bad for herself. She had to fulfill her promise to her father and take care of her family. And when she initially learns of David's guilt trip I thinks admires him even more for it, but does realize what he is doing to himself is not healthy (and doesn't blame herself for his issues, but wants to help him).

As for David, he needed a hug! To carry such guilt for so long and to not ever want to hurt another woman is very honorable indeed. I'm not usually a fan of such a big age difference (I think it's about 10 years or so), but I thought it was fitting here. When he sees the potential suitors he clearly sees them as young green boys who would do anything for a sneak up a skirt. He's extremely mature and it shows when compared to the other men. I pictured him as the old grandpa during Miss Baxter's party muttering about as to why he was there.

I'm really looking forward to the third book in the series with veterinarian Patrick Channing (and begrudgingly Miss Baxter)!

Since I'm now clearly obsessed with Victorian bathing machines here are some references:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bathing_...
http://www.victoriana.com/Etiquette/b...
http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com...


(http://bathknightblog.com/2012/07/17/...)

[eli · Rating 3 out of 5]

so i did liked the first book slightly better, however I loved this couple! david and cath have my heart, they really are sweet. i'm so sad that I've got one more book and the series is finished, I keep putting it off because i don't want it to end :((

[Sally Kilpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Kat ~ Forever Book Lover ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshing new author - proving that her debut book, What Happens in Scotland, was just a launching pad, the author has once again created a spectacular read!
The story line was fresh and lighthearted. The author captured my attention from the start. My senses were going crazy -with the realism of her words, the imagery was so real- I felt the warmth of the sun on my face, the sand under my feet and the heard the breathtaking waves crashing into the surf. The chemistry between the two characters was electric - the sparks literally flew off my Kindle.
They met for the first time eleven years ago, Caroline saved him from drowning...it would only be fitting for her to save his life one more time. Caroline was a great teacher to David, not only the swimming lessons but she also taught him to put the past in the past and to live for today and the days to come.
The secondary characters were well developed and I hope to see more from them, especially Caroline's sister.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review posted on Got Fiction?

This is the second book in the Second Sons series, the first being What Happens in Scotland (which was billed as The Hangover, but in Scotland). That book was hard to get through. I was very sad I didn't love it. This book? Well, it's made me realize this author is not for me.

This book features a heroine who is a swimmer. In the 1830s. Not just a heroine who swims around when no one is looking, but a heroine who swims daily, cuts through strong currents, and who has the body of a swimmer. Long, lean, broad shoulders, athletic. It's so exciting!

The blurb doesn't exactly give you that though.

The heroine, Caroline, is about 12 when she sees the hero drowning. Or almost drowning. She cuts through an insane current and saves him. He's drunk and trying to kill himself. He lives, he's shocked and actually okay with being saved.

That's the prologue.

Fast forward 10 years or so and they run into each other again. And this is where I finally realized my issue with this author. The books are boring. They're supposed to have funny and witty moments, and I don't think they do. They're supposed to be emotional and angsty, and they aren't.

I won't be reading this author anymore. I only tried this one because Sarah MacLean has a cover quote on it, but I definitely didn't love it as much as a she did.

***Review copy courtesy of Avon Books

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS.

I have really been on a historical-romance kick lately, and I am really loving my choices so far! I've read some new books by favorite authors and some new books by new authors, and I have enjoyed picks from both categories.

I ADORED that Caroline was not your typical "delicate, hidden beauty" wallflower. She was daring, bold (even though she was loathe to admit it), a kickass swimmer, didn't have a curvy/volumptuous body, and was...dare I say BOYISH in appearance??? (I especially appreciate this in a heroine as I have a similar slim build and short hair.) And she was just f*cking great!! She was different than your average wilting wallflower and while she was hesitant to let the ton see who she really was, she was comfortable in HER skin if not in everyone else's expectations or perceptions of her. She was by no means considered the "belle of the ball", a fact that David has no problem commenting on throughout the novel.

Which brings me to our hero who desperately does NOT want to be our hero. David definitely did not suffer from the same infatuation that Caroline did during the eleven years after their first meeting and most assuredly wanted nothing to do with the instalove cake that's been going around. In fact, he repeatedly reminds us that what he feels for her is mild interest and nowhere near an all-consuming physical attraction. She is "not nearly well-endowed" as his usual conquests and their first kiss left MUCH to be desired. He is the second son of a Scottish baron, with no real financial stability (aside from various investments that haven't panned out yet), who was scarred by his previous love and therefore deadset against falling in love again.

And I so very much loved watching his journey to love. However, I do wish that Caroline would have made him grovel more after he continually pushed her into the arms of her other suitors, and then was angry with her when she chose someone. I really wanted to see him grovel and beg Caroline's forgiveness before she showed him any mercy. But that's just me ;)

On a final note, I do have to say that the summary was a tad misleading. It made it seem like their "bargain" took place early on in the novel, when in fact I believe it didn't happen till the last half. I was a little confused and found myself waiting for it to happen, but that fact didn't retract from the story. Overall, I definitely recommend this one and can't wait to read Jennifer's other novels.

My David Cameron :)

[Booklover, Indianapolis · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Jun) I read the first one in this series years ago - and was lukewarm about it. This one was not much better. They are also not connected in any way I could figure out, although it appears the third book (which I may or may not read) features a prominent character from SIFL. Caroline was a strong and enjoyable heroine. David was a perfectly fine, albeit a bit wimpy, Hero. They meet when Caroline is a pre teenager and she saves him from drowning. Years later they meet again. Caroline is a swimmer but must hide it from her mother and others as it's not the thing for women to swim. Caroline discovers lust for David (who she's actually been pining after since their first meeting). David has lust for Caroline but convinces himself he doesn't really feel for her. She's tall and plain and poor -basically has nothing to offer. But she's nice and smart and cares for her family. They become friends and he helps others see she's quite the catch - so much so that she ends up with numerous suitors. But, of course, she and David finally get together and live HEA.

[Devon Stoneburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

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!

[ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...] · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...

Hmmm... Summer Is for Lovers by Jennifer McQuiston didn’t quite live up to my expectations. If you already didn’t know, I absolutely ADORED the previous book, What Happens in Scotland which was all sorts of heartwarming fun that I gulped down in just a few days. I was looking forward to David’s book, hoping that his book would shed some light on the guilt both James and David felt for an underlying issue that was addressed on WHiS. I got that, yes. I also found a marvelous heroine in Caroline. But what made me want to shake my fists in the air was David. I wanted to enjoy this book but he made me want to scream, and not in a pleasing manner... *sigh*

So what did David do?

Quite a few things actually, which have nothing to do with his ‘name twin’ BTW (read JMcQ’s hilarious blog post on that issue here.)

I’ll start with a short recap of what links this book to What Happens in Scotland (WHiS). WHiS was James, David’s former best friend’s story. Why former? That’s because they were both in love with the same girl, a vicar’s daughter, at a young age. David, with his blonde good looks, was already a known rake. So when the girl fell pregnant and David was nowhere to be found, James offered for her hand. But she went and threw herself off a bridge. Needless to say, she was carrying David’s baby and not James’s but I think she always played James (slept with him as well). It certainly was a big mess. That incident threw a significant shadow on James’s later life, about that you get to learn in WHiS and how he overcomes those too with the help of Gerogette, the h. He felt guilty, though it was not his fault or doing.

David hails from Moraig too. He was in the army for a time in his life (about the time of that ‘incident’, that is why he was absent). This book actually opens up with a drunken David trying to drown himself in Brighton, where he was stationed at that time and a young Caroline saving him. I’ll get to that part a bit later... This ‘incident’ has also left scars of its own on David’s life. He doesn’t want to show it outside, being the merry rake, bedding widows and bar wenches alike but inside, this is eating him up. It’s been around 10 years, David still couldn’t forget that. He has sold his commission some years ago and now serving as a magistrate for Moraig, a pretty good one at that too.

Anyway, at present, David is visiting Brighton with his ailing mother who needed the fresh air etc., suggested by the doctor. David is the second son of an Earl, has no reason to get married, if not now, ever at all. Better yet, his elder brother has already seen to the task of an heir. Yet, that doesn’t stop his mother from the talks of marriage and little blonde haired granddaughters at every opportunity. David is a good son, I’d give it to him as he stayed with his mother all through the story, worrying about her, taking care of her but this one thing he doesn’t know if he can do.

The day he arrives at Brighton, while walking and taking fresh air along the beach (and reliving a not-so-pleasant memory), David comes to a halt when he suddenly finds a tall girl heading towards him. And wow, it is THE one who saved him all those years ago from certain death! Caroline was a lanky 12 yrs. old at that time but now... well, she’s grown of course but without so much of any promise of beauty. And David, if nothing else, appreciates physical beauty. Though he’s not physically attracted to her, David is glad to be reacquainted with someone he has never forgotten all those years.

Caroline’s family has fallen on hard times ever since her father died. He ran a small local newspaper, the income is not so great and off late, it has come to their notice that they don’t have much money left. Her mother, who used to be a viscount’s daughter, has never forgotten her ‘golden days’ as a debutante. But her life hasn’t been the same ever since she married for love. Right now, she has two grown up daughters she needed to marry off. Caroline’s elder sister, Penelope is beautiful in her quiet way but she stutters, which is why she has given up on marriage. It seems like her interest lies in different direction.... of which, no one yet knows.

Caroline made a promise to her father on his deathbed that she’d take care of her family. She was VERY young so I don’t know how she even remembered it, but she did and is more than determined see it through. She harbors a secret though- she’s a very talented swimmer, trained by her father before he died. Swimming has also somewhat altered her body structure, with wider shoulders added to her very tall, curve-less form. And so, she’d grown up knowing she’s too plain, too tall and just too weird. But this secret had to be kept tight-locked. Otherwise, it’d ruin any chances of her ever having a marriage proposal. Also, her Lady of a mother would have a fit. Not that she ever fails to remind them, however gently (or not), that both her daughters are far from what she had hoped for. But one can’t have the London polish in a place like Brighton, let alone having a coming out now that Caroline’s over 20. But her mother is still hopeful about Caroline making a match, and soon. There’s basically no other way for her to help but to marry well.

This is the season in Brighton when the upper echelons of the aristocrats come down for a vacation. Brighton becomes crowded with snobbish Londoners. Caroline doesn’t like it, more so because the natural beauty of her beloved Brighton is almost always marred each year by a crowd that seems to be steadily growing. On this day, to escape one of her mother’s tirades, Caroline walks off to her favorite hidden piece of beach only to stumble across an apparition. No, not apparition but the man of her dreams. Someone she’d never forgotten; someone who has shaped her daydreams. There was not another perfect looking man in the world for her! It’s that soldier she’d saved so many years ago. After all these times, he seems happy to see her too. David reintroduces himself and makes it known that he’d like to renew their acquaintance. Caroline is just too happy, too surprised to say anything but ‘yes’.

Ah girl, you’re in for quite the ride!

As the story progresses, they do meet up on occasion, talking and walking but very soon, David makes it clear that his interest in her is very platonic, that of a good friend and nothing else. On the other hand, for Caroline it’s anything but. And it does hurt when the man you’ve been dreaming about says he wants only to be a friend. Even hurt, Caroline puts up a face and keeps meeting up with David, sometimes on that beach, sometimes in other places.

Caroline is also introduced to various other characters from that flock of Londoners. One is Viscount Avery’s daughter Miss Julianne Baxter. The other, a rakish, handsome young man, Mr. Dermott. The intro doesn’t go well as they begin subtly mocking Caroline’s lack of sophistication or so-called ‘polish’. Then again, that’s how they about the people of Brighton in general. Dermott was one step ahead. He has already duped Caroline once into believing that he’s interested in her, kissed her in secret, only spread the rumor of that kiss, humiliating her, telling everyone that she has no passion. WOW, that kinda made me mad. Caroline was unhappy but not as angry as I was apparently. After meeting David, she’s scared that David will hear of her misadventure and... well, she just doesn’t want him to hear of it.

There was an incident of a party gone wild (with loads of drinks and other stuff) hosted by the aforementioned Miss Baxter. Caroline was invited, so was David. This was a total mess, and gives us the kind of humiliation this London party can wreck on an unsuspecting, naïve girl as her. Then there was that kissing game; men selecting girls hidden behind a screen and to kiss them. David has already heard of Dermott’s mean game with Caroline and he didn’t like the negative things he’s heard about her so far. He felt somewhat protective. When he begins to understand how Caroline will probably be humiliated again, David chooses Caroline when his time comes. He doesn’t even kiss her because he’s not interested in her that way but it hurts Caroline. I mean DUH! This was just the beginning of what David did throughout the book; how he’d push Caroline away over and over and over and over and over again!

Since their renewed friendship, Caroline has already talked to David about finding a husband. In her dream, it was, of course, David. But she already knew he has no interest. Then David comes up with a plan. He wants to help her and for that, he’d present himself as a candidate. He also lets the young bucks know (later on that drunken night) how lovely Caroline is in her own way... and of her long, long legs. Even though he’s determined not to be involved with Caroline at all, his body is telling him otherwise. The words he tells them were his own genuine words. It works and these men are so interested in seeing Caroline’s ‘long legs’ that they begin flocking at her door the very next morning. Of course, Caroline didn’t know what David did, so she and her family are surprised by this unexpected turn of events.

But this doesn’t sit with our hero. No, he still doesn’t want her in ‘that way’ but once men are interested in her, he can’t stand it. I mean................ Good God! I actually said ‘grow the f*ck up!’ quite a few times when he was doing things to annoy the hell outta me! He’d swim with Caroline on moonlit nights, kiss her. He’d feel aroused beyond anything, yet he’d try to convince himself that it’s nothing but the result of his temporary celibacy!

I got exasperated when Caroline actually goes and tells him that she wants to experience passion with him before she marries someone else. David’s body, again, wants her to show all she likes but oh no, no no, when she begs to be closer to him, he won’t let her. Why you ask? I felt that Caroline being plain was one reason; it took me quite a while to actually believe that David saw through that. Let’s face it, he’s a rake and has slept with many beautiful women. He’s spoiled in that area so he’d always want to nay-say the fact that he’s actually attracted to a not-so-very-attractive girl. It’s just not done, right?! Next he tells her it’s not a good idea to be involved with him since... he has that excuse of the 10 yrs. ago incident. He has not moved on from it, though he had slept with numerous woman (if I remember correctly from WHiS, he was caught by James and his brother while seducing a maidservant) but when Caroline wants to be a little intimate, he can’t let her because apparently that dead girl was ‘the only woman he has ever loved’! Oh how lame an excuse can be! It was worse because he knew he was hurting Caroline with his words, that he’s being an a$$hole to her and that his actions would sometimes distinctly come off as pity. Then, as I was saying earlier, he’d go and do everything to ruin her chances with other men... and so went the cycle throughout the story. WTF am I to call that?

I begin to grow frustrated at Caroline too because she was forever forgiving him, even when she was hurt and hurt some more. It peaked at that point of the story when David finally decides to tell her his 10yrs. old sob story (c’mon even his mother told him to move on!) in delicate details, she actually feels sympathetic. I mean, yah well, you might feel somewhat sympathetic but when he, in so many words, is telling you that he won’t accept your affection (think at that point she even professed her love) because he won’t let anyone inside his heart ever again. And all these after his imbecilic behavior so far... No Caroline, you’re supposed to be mad as a hell cat, not go all soft and teary-eyed for him. Absolutely NO!

God, I wanted Caroline to show David her back and give him something to think of and to seriously decide what he wants. Does he want her? Does he want to act on his desires for her? If the answers were ‘no’ then the only thing she could’ve done is to try to move on from there. It’d hurt but that should’ve been for the best. But she was stuck. She wants him with everything she had to offer but he doesn’t want her... No, he doesn’t want to want her (is there anything more upsetting there for a girl?) and yet he won’t let other men have her! It was more than clear that David had no idea what he wanted, at all. This shouldn’t have been the mindset of a supposedly worldly 32 yrs. old man. So yes, ‘grow the f*ck up’ was what I had for him throughout the book.

As David always liked and supported the talented swimmer in her (one of the few things I liked about him), he asks Caroline to train him for an upcoming annual swimming competition. The prize money is huge and they made a deal; if David wins he’d give half the prize money to her because he didn’t want her to marry any of those guys that were courting her (still he wouldn’t say he wants her). Caroline begins training him but this only led to more fondling, or wanting to do just so and David abruptly ending things because... well, you already know why. Then he’s unhappy when Caroline finally becomes engaged to Dermott; not a very wise choice but she wasn’t attracted to the other men as much as she was to a handsome Dermott. You can also blame that on David because he tried his best to highlight exactly why she shouldn’t marry any of those guys (too short, too fat, too young, too immersed in father’s business etc etc etc). *sigh*

‘Frustration’ thy name is David Cameron!

After that ‘cycle of pain’ (as I called it) I couldn’t really believe in David anymore. I loved Caroline and wished she was paired with a more worthy man who’d see her for who she really was and accept her just so.

So there were some nice surprises at the end of the story where Caroline finally gets to show off her beautiful swimming to the world. I already mentioned about the secret beach that Caroline loved so much and considered as an escape from all her troubles and the outside world. It so happens that Penelope, who turns out to be a reporter for her father’s newspaper, didn’t even bother to consider Caroline’s emotion (it’s not that she wasn’t aware of it) and publishes a report on that beach, which made a big crowd of vacationers to pour in. I was kinda shocked that Penelope would be so selfish to do this to her own sister. Poor Caroline was shocked too when she finds out just how many people were present after reading the news. Moreover, because of the formation of the rocks etc. the place was hazardous. When suddenly someone was drowning and no one there to save the boy, Caroline had to jump in. Et voilà! She’s famous.

What I liked about the ending was how Caroline’s mother was converted from someone who would screech at the notion of swimming because it’s so unladylike, to someone wholeheartedly supporting it. I also very much enjoyed the general description of Brighton. I was glad that David finally had the courage to move forward and made a gesture for Caroline at their wedding; securing the beach for private use. But all his attempts came way too late for me to completely appreciate them. 4 stars.



This ARC was provided to me by Avon/HarperCollins via edelweiss which didn’t influence my review and rating in any way.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review from 2014

C+ for narration / B for content

Summer Is for Lovers is an enjoyable, if predictable, story set at the seaside resort of Brighton in the mid-nineteenth century. Brighton is a nice change of scene for a British-set historical, as the majority of those are set in and around London. Even more unusual is the fact that the heroine, rather than being a wallflower, poor-relation, drab governess, or feisty debutante, is a young woman of athletic bent.

The book opens with twelve-year-old Caroline Tolbertson saving a young soldier from drowning in the sea off the Brighton coast. She’s younger and smaller but her skill in the water is prodigious and she is able to rescue him from the dangerous current. Even though he’s dripping wet and worse the wear for drink, he’s handsome, charming, witty, and rather sweetly self-deprecating about being rescued by a girl! And, of course, young Caroline tumbles head-over-heels for him.

Many years later, the two stumble across each other by the Brighton sea-front again. Now in his early thirties and resigned from the army, David Cameron (and how I wish the author had given her hero a different surname, because it was really distracting!) has travelled to the resort with his mother, who is very ill, in the hopes that a change of air will be beneficial to her health. The intervening years have not seen much change for Caroline, however, who is still unmarried at the advanced age of twenty-three, and residing in the town with her mother and sister.

One of the things that sets Summer Is for Lovers apart from most other historical romances is the fact that Caroline is a hugely talented swimmer. I don’t think I’ve come across a story in which the heroine is an athlete before, because, of course, at the time in which the book is set, for a young woman to be sporty in that way was frowned upon. In fact, it was frowned upon for a woman to be good at anything to a very high standard, whether it be music, art, or sport. Females were expected to have a long list of “accomplishments” but woe betide any woman who excelled in any field, because she could not be a “professional” anything. (Unless she earned her living on her back, but that’s not this story!)

She may be incredibly talented in the water, but on land, Caroline is a mass of insecurities. She knows that her physique is not at all in the currently accepted mode for beauty. She’s tall, lithe, long-legged, and small-breasted at a time when petite and curvaceous was the preferred body type. She dresses abominably and her hair – usually simply and ruthlessly tied back for swimming – is uncared for and messy. It doesn’t help matters that, shortly before she meets David again, she had foolishly allowed a young man to kiss her, who then proceeded to tell all his friends that kissing her had been like kissing a boy. Thus Caroline, already sensitive about her height, broad shoulders, and lack of curves, is made to feel even less feminine and more undesirable than she had already believed herself to be. The problem is that her family’s financial situation means that it’s time for her to find herself a husband and gossip about her lack of feminine charms is certainly not going to help Caroline to secure an offer.



When David hears the gossip and discovers how much it has upset Caroline, he determines, as her friend, to help her. He enjoys her company and has quickly discovered that she is not a vapid London miss with no conversation or opinions of her own, so even though he is not interested in her himself (preferring the smaller, curvy type of woman), he goes about setting some of the young bucks straight as to the nature of Caroline’s attractions.

But David’s comments succeed too well and it’s not long before Caroline finds herself besieged by admirers. And as if that isn’t bad enough, the more time David spends with her, the more he finds himself looking at her in a new light and deciding that none of the men dangling after her are good enough.

I liked that Caroline’s transformation from Ugly Duckling to Beautiful Swan was not effected by means other than having a few decent dresses made that showed her body to its long, lithe advantage instead of trying to squash her into the current fashions which looked terrible on her. But the most important factor was the confidence David gave her to be herself, and see herself as an attractive woman.

This is a story in which the hero and heroine forge a strong friendship and develop a deep emotional bond before they become lovers, which is something I always enjoy in a romance. There is some delicious sexual tension between David and Caroline as well as a sense of sincere affection and companionship.

For the most part, the quality of the writing, the characterisation, and the performance was good enough for me to be able to overlook the major flaw with the story. I know I can be very picky about plotlines, but there are some stories in which, although I can see or hear weaknesses, there are other things which are so good that they cancel them out. That’s almost the case here, but I couldn’t quite ignore the flimsiness of the premise which provides the obstacles in the way of David and Caroline’s HEA. For most of the book, David is desperately attracted to Caroline and, on a couple of occasions, comes very close to doing a lot more than look. But he always pulls back from her due to the fact that he is carrying a shed-load of guilt over the death of his first love eleven years before, which has brought him to the conclusion that he is not fit to be involved in any way with a good and innocent young woman like Caroline.

I’m afraid that that sort of reasoning invariably makes me want to throw the book at the wall, or rip out my earphones. I can certainly understand a recently bereaved character being reluctant to become involved with someone else, but it’s been eleven years since the young woman’s death, and that’s a ridiculously long time to self-flagellate.

I also felt a little uncomfortable at the way in which David keeps rebuffing Caroline by pretending not to notice that her feelings for him go way beyond friendship. At one point, she all but tells him she loves him and he makes light of it by appearing to believe she’s talking about someone else. At that point, I really did want him to smack him and tell him to man up and leave her alone rather than seeking her out at every opportunity if he really didn’t want her.

I thought that the descriptions of the town and the beaches gave an excellent sense of place, and that the cast of supporting characters, from Caroline’s sister Penelope (to whom there was much more than at first seemed) and the local reigning beauty, Miss Baxter, to the young tulips of the ton, Mr. Dermott and Mr. Hamilton was very well drawn.

Lana J. Weston is another new-to-me narrator and for the most part, she acquitted herself well. She was very good at bringing out the humour and is one of those narrators who makes good use of silence. I did find the pace of her reading a little slow at times although it didn’t spoil the overall experience. Each character is clearly defined and the Scottish accent she used for David was accurate and consistent. But because Ms. Weston doesn’t lower the pitch of her voice substantially to perform the male characters, I found it difficult to match the picture the author was painting of David as a tall, broad-shouldered blond Adonis with the softly accented voice flowing into my ears. Ms. Weston relied more on accent to differentiate him from the other men and, more importantly, from Caroline, and because both their voices were performed in the same register, he sounded somewhat less than masculine.

She was more successful in the secondary male roles, such as Mr. Dermott and his friends, where she employed a sneering, nasal tone that perfectly suited the supercilious young men of the ton.

While this was, in general, a good performance by someone who seems to be new to the world of audiobooks, I feel compelled to mention the fact that there were a few glaring errors in pronunciation dotted throughout the story. For example, Ton is not pronounced “tone” and Marquess is not pronounced “Marcus”. It may not be an issue for someone who doesn’t listen to many historicals, but these are words which will be found in almost every historical romance set in the 19th century so, for someone like me, who listens to a LOT of them, a mispronunciation like that is going to take me out of the story each time it happens. There were also occasions where ordinary, every-day words were mispronounced; for example, “sluiced” should be pronounced “sloossed” and not “sloo-issed”.

So once again, I’m on my soapbox about the need for “audio proofreading” or some equivalent procedure that takes place during the recording process. Many narrators read books across a wide range of genres, and I’m sure that most of those have genre-specific vocabulary with which the reader might not be immediately familiar. But to fans of those genres, errors will be glaring and surely, it’s important to minimize them as far as possible.

Those reservations apart, Summer is for Lovers is a refreshingly lighthearted story about friendship, love, and forgiveness. The writing is infused with wit and humour, the characterisation is excellent, and Lana J. Weston has real potential as a narrator in the genre.

[Tin · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 2416

The 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 1364

Jennifer 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

[Lulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 heroine
Her contact with her dead father
The changes in the hero, who I thoght I would dislike after the first book

What 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 shaparon
The evil suitor, didn't feel realistic.

Heat level: 2,5
Actual rating 3,8, rounded up to 4

[Darbella · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay. Liked the mermaid parts/ocean parts especially. Did not like the 11 year separation (7 or 8 would have been plenty. LOL) and the hero did the usual I can't love her because of my past love thing too long.

[Insh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhere in the night, David was mourning the love of his life.
And here, in the brightly lit ballroom, with the vibrant music hammering her senses, Caroline was mourning the loss of her ignorance. Because if only she could skip back in time, she might still believe she could capture such a man’s heart.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 b2b

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher

[Ashlyn Macnamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Janga · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed McQuiston’s debut novel, but I found Summer Is for Lovers, the second book in the series, to be even better. Caroline is a delightful heroine—strong physically and emotionally, intelligent, and vulnerable. Her aptitude for swimming makes her unconventional in an original fashion, and yet she is very much a woman of her time with limited choices. David is a decent, honorable man who made a mistake for which he cannot forgive himself. I think for most people in real life, their strengths and weaknesses are entangled, often like the opposite sides of a single coin, and so I found David a credible and appealing hero. I applaud the skill with which McQuiston shows the development of the relationship between David and Caroline. I especially appreciated the scene where David sees Caroline in her natural element, the sea, and becomes aware that she is the very opposite of the graceless, plain young woman he thought her to be.

I also liked the fact that David is the second son of a Scots baron, the lowest-ranking title in the United Kingdom and that Caroline’s father was a newspaper owner. The Brighton setting also added freshness and interest to the novel. I even approve the “villains” of the piece who are not incredibly evil but rather weak and self-absorbed and incapable of seeing the “other” with sympathy and understanding.

See full review at:
http://justjanga.blogspot.com/2013/09...