Water Dressed in Brown

by Dan O'Hare

As the first two kids in the newly developed community of Ocean Pines, Maryland, Laura Byrne and Trey Buckingham are thrown together constantly, inevitably becoming best friends. In the autumn of junior year of high school, just as their friendship might be developing into something more, a sudden violent night changes everything.

Set to a soundtrack of the early 1990s, Water Dressed in Brown explores family, friendship, and love in the waning days of the analogue age. As they stumble in their rush to become adults, these best friends must decide what they owe each other and what they owe themselves.

363 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2025

About the author

Dan O'Hare is an author, lacrosse coach, filmmaker, Realtor, and environmentalist. Originally from Ocean Pines, Maryland (in fact, supposedly the first person born there), he has also lived in Indiana, Colorado, New York City, Ireland... and for a short time, in a cargo van, down by the river. He now lives with his wife and daughter in Salisbury, MD.

Reviews

[Reader Views · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before the land of sleepy Ocean Pines was fully developed, Laura and Trey’s friendship was one of proximity. Laura’s family lived next door to the Buckinghams, and she quickly became a permanent fixture in their home. Laura and Trey’s bond continued to strengthen, and they were inseparable. Teen years meant changing bodies and raging hormones, and the pair began feeling a more-than-friends spark. Still, family trauma and new relationships seemed to get in the way, and the timing was never right for Laura or Trey to take their friendship to the next level.

Water Dressed in Brown by Dan O’Hare is a captivating coming-of-age novel that explores the complexities and ever-changing emotions during the teenage years. Laura and Trey are accustomed to being best friends. Still, when the lines between friendship and romance begin to blur, they must navigate this unfamiliar territory, leading to self-discovery, identity, and jealousy. Beyond the conventional lessons learned in young adulthood, the author explores heavier themes such as generational abuse, sexual identity, and depression.

From the get-go, O’Hare effortlessly transported me back to the 90s, when times were simpler, and grunge was in full bloom. Greats that I grew up listening to, like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Tori Amos, were the soundtrack of this immersive coming-of-age story. Laura and Trey spent hours together listening to mixtapes that Laura had curated to fit with specific moods. If she were sad or feeling romantic, Trey would know through her song choice. Free time was spent cultivating friendships and having philosophical conversations, not hiding behind a screen like today’s youth in the digital age. The author has done a fantastic job of delivering nostalgic vibes and evoking a sense of yearning for those years.

Relationships (especially young adult ones) are highly perplexing and emotional, and the author must be commended for his ability to illustrate this. Beyond Laura and Trey’s burgeoning romance, they grappled with a bit of a love triangle involving another girl, which caused more friction, but also allowed readers to embrace the nuances of dating. There is no manual for relationships; it’s trial and error for young people. But all the beauty, heartbreak, and uncertainty are par for the course when you’re a young adult; that’s how we evolve. It was reminiscent and, at times, heartbreakingly accurate of how I remember my teen years.

Water Dressed in Brown is a beautiful walk down memory lane and will appeal to those who grew up in the ’90s. It explores grunge culture and the last generation to grow up without digital distractions. Moreover, O’Hare’s novel is character-driven and emphasizes self-discovery. Don’t miss out on this one!

[Alicia Guarino-Hrebik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rarely get so intrigued with a book jacket synopsis as I did with the written phrase of "set to a soundtrack of the early 1990's". As a true Gen X'er who came of age at that time, I wondered how a book could indeed accurately portray a soundtrack, yet author Dan O'Hare gave such key word descriptions consistently throughout the book that the songs of my youth streamed continuously in my mind as I read the story. I had forgotten how much a good mix-tape provided an additional language of communication for those of us born in the late 70's and early 80's! I truly did enjoy the book- well most of it because I actually had to put it down for a few days as I was too mad at one of the character's choices to continue it - and then even when I got mad at it- I realized I was so involved and immersed that I cared enough to be mad at the characters. To write and allow the reader to get so deeply involved- well that’s the testament to the deepest talent of storytelling. My compliments to the budding author! Wonderful job!

[Claire Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Water Dressed in Brown beautifully captures the classic teenage struggle of trying to find oneself. The story primarily follows Laura as she dreams of escaping her small town, and her sometimes-best friend/sometimes-boyfriend Trey, who is content staying put. The novel is set in a very specific place and time, and the setting (primarily Ocean Pines, Maryland in the 1980s and early ‘90s) very clearly comes to life. I particularly love how the characters experience discovery through music. (I want all the mixtapes!) The dialogue is beautifully written, and my favorite moments in the book are conversations between friends that might initially seem inconsequential but really mean everything. This book is so lovingly crafted, and I already want to read it again.

[Jamie McNulty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set along the Eastern Shore of Maryland, in the small communities of Ocean Pines and Ocean City, Water Dressed in Brown is a beautifully written story about growing up in the early 90s - before screens, social media and online gaming took over kid's and teen's free time. It's a story about young love, high school drama and the existential question "What should I do with my life after high school?". I couldn't put this book down, finishing all 350 pages in a matter of a few days. I will have my hands full searching and listening to all of the songs peppered through out the book. I cannot recommend this book enough!

[Shell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Water Dressed in Brown by Dan O’Hara is a richly atmospheric coming-of-age story set in the 1990s, with vivid scenes from both the Eastern Shore of Maryland and New York City. As someone familiar with both places, I really appreciated how accurately the author captured the feel of the time and setting—it added a layer of authenticity that pulled me in.

I especially enjoyed the relationship between Laura and Trey’s mom, which felt genuine and well-developed. However, I did find the younger characters frustrating at times—they often seemed stuck or unable to move forward—and the ending left me wanting more closure.

Still, it’s a beautifully written book that I’d recommend to fans of character-driven stories and YA readers looking for something reflective and grounded in a real sense of place.

[Marcella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads. I enjoyed this book. It kept my interest and because I live in Maryland, I knew many of the towns and landmarks in the story. The main characters were well developed and I really felt like I got to know them as people.

The last several chapters of the book felt a little disconnected, as if the author was trying to wrap up the story within a certain amount of pages.

On the whole it was a good read.

[Betsy Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having grown up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, specifically , Salisbury and Ocean City , I loved reading this coming of age book which brought back many memories of restaurants that are no longer here (Reflections, la hacienda, Weitzels, English Grill , Rayne’s Reef) What a great place to grow up back in the 70’s and 80’s . What a great job Dan did by taking us back to the landscape and music of that era.

[Devin La · Rating 4 out of 5]

Water Dressed in Brown was a fun read for me from start to finish. Having grown up near where the story is set, I felt like I knew these kids. This is one of my favorite coming of age stories to date!

[Megan Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great first novel by this author! The characters were interesting and I wanted to keep reading. A bit too much teenage sex for my taste but otherwise I could relate to the desire for something more outside of the small town these kids grew up in. Love the sound track that goes with it! I’ll definitely check out anything else by this author!

[Jennifer Colgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming story of two kids that grow up as friends, turn into lovers but realize they’re better as friends. Music references are spot on as location descriptions. Excellent read for bringing back memories of first loves.

[Fasci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid first novel by this author. I read this first before I read his memoir. After reading the memoir, it's obvious he wrote what he knew.

[Brenda Maximenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Especially being familiar with Ocean City MD. Was such a good read!

[Erin Grafton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a charming read. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 3/4, but I feel like the author didn’t quite stick the landing. The pacing got a little weird, and I feel like it could’ve ended a few chapters sooner. A fun, nostalgic read though!

*I received this as a giveaway from Goodreads.