Olivia and the Older Boy

Love in Ocean Grove #5

by Anna Catherine Field

Olivia has spent her life in the shadows.

Of her sister Norah.

Of her depression and anxiety.

Of her overprotective mother.

The summer of her senior year she’s ready to jump back into life. She has a friend, a boy that she’s crushing on and a plan to make the next three months the best ones yet.

All of those plans apart before summer even starts and she’s back to square one, except for one thing. Ben Rowan’s sudden and timely appearance back in her life.

Ben is her sister’s best friend who also understands what it’s like to live around shining stars. He’s older, has known Olivia her whole life and, the best part? Her parents trust him.

What starts out as a convenience for two lonely people, turns into something bigger, something that may help the shadows vanish once and for all.

Olivia and the Older Boy is the fifth novel from Love in Ocean Grove, a series of books about swoony, first-time love and toe-curling kisses for readers of all ages.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult

195 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 15, 2019

Reviews

[☠︎︎༒︎✞︎ ѕℓιм ☠︎︎༒︎✞︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty good book; I liked Olivia and Ben together.


https://ladiikeiii.wordpress.com/2019...

+****SPOILERS ALERT 🚨*******



I’m hoping there will be a book about Gabe’s brother Sidney. Since Olivia and Ben got one... now Sidney needs one too.

But I’m still stuck on the fact that the Nicole girl blames Olivia for them getting caught... when Nicole didn’t want to listen to Olivia when she asked her is she ready to go, which they would’ve been going to Olivia house. Smh; so right there should tell Olivia that Nicole wasn’t her friend, to begin with... I’m over here like real friend my ***. Clearly Ben and the girl was it Melina(or whatever her name is) probably better friends for Olivia than Nicole will ever be... plus I kept looking at this book sideways when it comes to Spencer too. Like maybe Melinda will end up with Sidney...


But anyways I really think the author did a good job with this book...it had my attention from beginning to end... though. Like to point out that both Olivia and Ben parents were full of it... especially Ben father and Olivia mom.. sometimes Norah... it’s like they thought that Ben was so wrong for her and always thinking that he was going to mess it up for her & she’ll go back downhill as she did before. & Ben dad acted like the job that he had wasn’t worth it... but look at that he became his own Entrepreneur... at least he proves his dad wrong!!!!

Plus he and Olivia proved everyone wrong... about them and who they are as a person! They both were made for one another too. Plus I wasn’t on the agreement of keeping things a secret about their relationship but then with that crap that happened at Ben party with Norah ... I was like I see why she wanted to keep things a secret...... and Ben agreed on some point of the book. It did get annoying how they kept looking at Olivia as a kid... I’m like sheesh she’s seventeen almost a senior what more do they want from that girl... it’s sucks learning that she’s bi-polar, but I felt like it was her not talking her medication that had her action a certain way...


But it what happened between Norah, her (Olivia) and Ben which led her to cut herself. Clearly, it wasn’t Ben fault, but there’s “**cough*** Norah and family + friends because they clearly didn’t have any faith in Ben and how he felt until after what happened with Olivia... I’m like now they have a change of heart and can actually see what everybody else that knew both of them was dating saw.... at least in the end they ended up happy, and their family was happy with how Olivia was and her progress...

[Pascale’s*ARC,Unwind,Read,Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Olivia, Norah’s troubled younger sister, and Norah’s best friend Ben. I really enjoyed reading their story.
It’s rare that an author can write an alternating POV storyline in the present tense and do so successfully. I really liked that aspect and thought it was unique and different enough that I noticed it.
To me, this author’s writing style really flows and I so enjoy reading her stories! This series reminds me of Julia Keanini’s young adult series about troubled teens and I highly recommend both series. There are quite a few themes here: fitting in, loneliness, anxiety and depression, struggles of young adulthood, friendship, young love...Very well written, clean, young adult books.

[Mei Li · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing!!!

Such an amazing book! Loved how the issues were approached honestly and with a positive light. Excellent description of dealing with emotional highs and lows. How Olivia’s parents, friends and mentors reacted were true to form. And I loved how Ben was a constant support through the whole book. I believe Ms. Field is becoming one of my favorite authors.
Her characterizations are full and interesting and believable. So many young adult novels have cardboard characters with cookie-cutter personalities. Not so with the ‘Love in Ocean Grove’ series. Each character is unique and loved. Ben’s laid back personality pairs so well with anxious Olivia. Loved this amazing book!

[Latoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful love story!

Olivia's story is one that shows the strength of a survivor and the power of seeing someone beyond the scars. We are more than our physical appearance and even though almost every romance has a guy with abs, I am encouraged to not focus on love being rooted in the superficial because jerks have those hot bods too. Love is not selfish. Love is wanting to do good to the other person and vice versa. I like that the main characters were physically occupied with jobs whether paid or voluntary and that the traditional way of earning by means of being an employee and starting a business were all explored. Our talents differ.
I am aware of mental illness and being supportive of a loved one with mental illness. This book brought home the seriousness of being supportive of our friends and family with mental illness because they are not the illness. They are so much more than that.

I want to read more from the author.

Thanks, Field.

[ضحى الحداد · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
this maybe the best book in the series so far .. I quite liked it
The story is about Olivia (Norah's little sister) and Ben ( Norah's best friend) both of them are trying to prove something to the world this summer, Olivia is trying to get over her past ( of depression and anxiety) and move on with her life, and Ben wants to prove to his parents that he can do it on his own, they both need support from each other and that relationship turns into more

the book was mostly a delight to read, both Ben and Olivia were adorable and I enjoyed their relationship, the thing is, I don't know if this is cultural difference or what but when I read "Older Boy" I though the age difference would be 7+ years, turna out it is a 2 years difference !! I mean where I live two years is practically not a difference at all, so that was weird
I am sooo glad that Trevor will get his own book and its next one .. the last one, man I didn't expect that this series will go this fast

[Patty Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story from Anna Catherine Field

The whole Ocean Grove series keeps you engaged as a reader. There’s romantic tension, relationship build, and all the angst of teen years.

In Olivia and the Older Boy, we come back to two familiar characters who’ve grown up together, only they aren’t preteens who tease one another and have innocent video game battles anymore.

Olivia has dark secrets and has withdrawn from life over the years. Ben is trying to figure himself out after his two best friends left town to pursue success and a life together.

If you love beach towns, YA romance, characters with depth, kissing scenes that make you want more, and a redemptive plot line, you will love Olivia and the Older Boy.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book in this series that I've read. For those of you who are wondering if it can be read as a stand-alone, it totally can.

I was surprised that I finished this book. I originally thought it was going to be too slow but instead it just flowed. I found the characters to be relatable. I loved how Olivia and Ben both just needed someone in their life and that they were able to fill that gap in each others life.

I found it funny that the "older boy" was a whole 19 years old 😱

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I was pleasantly surprised by this book.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Read

Trigger warning: depression, self harm.

Olivia has been through a lot . Being diagnosed dealing with her diagnosis and the outcome she forgets to take her meds before she was on meds and she was younger. Knight in shining armor Ben shows up and she sees her rock. Awesome story

[RICHARD LEWIS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liv Finds Herself And Her Love

This was a sweet story about a girl who works to discover her real self and in the process discovers the love of her life as well. Lots of twists and turns in the growing up process. I definitely enjoyed this story and would highly recommend it for anyone who enjoys a young love novel.

[Brittany Goodman · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

Such a cute story. It really brings some things into perspective. i really liked the characters and i had a hard time putting the book down. great story

[Samantha Reid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf’d

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, I didn’t expect to be crying with this book. What an emotional roller coaster about pain and beauty in all its forms.

[Lindsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I literally finished this book in about 4 hours. These books are technically standalones but it would be better to read Norah and the Nerd before reading this one.
I’m sad this series is over and I’m hoping there’s going to be more but we will see.
You meet Olivia in Norah and the Nerd but she’s not a huge character. It was great to see her as the MC and see things from her prospective. I really liked Ben as a character also. This story deals with some hard topics such as depression and anxiety and other topics that relate to students such as gap years. I loved that I could relate to this story and these characters. I was glad that Ben was there for Olivia and you learn what’s going on with her illness. These two were definitely good for each other!
This definitely was a harder book to read than the rest but it still flowed really well and I didn’t want to put it down. I also loved that some of the past characters came back for a scene and you get to hear about Norah and Gabe.

[Lisa Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olivia is Norah's little sister from Norah and the Nerd. It was interesting to see Olivia grow and bloom in this book while fighting a serious mental illness. Though at times, this book hurt my heart for Olivia, there were moments that I truly loved. Falling for one of your older sister's best friends is not an easy position to be in, but though there were shocked reactions at first, I love how their families came together to support them. I love how Ben supported Olivia, even at her lowest points, and kept her from making serious mistakes in her life. It was also nice to see characters from the other books in this series make a brief appearance. I am most curious to see what Anna Catherine Field comes up with next

[Regina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm impressed! The story tackles some serious issues like anxiety and depression and describes the difficulties that everyone concerned (including family and friends) faces in an honest and realistic, matter-of-fact way. Still - unlike other books dealing with similar topics - it is not a depressing story.

I like Olivia and Ben, they may both have their baggage, but I found them relatable and interesting characters who complement each other well. I also liked the (sometimes not so) supporting cast of friends and family a lot, some even so much that the rest of the Ocean Grove books are now on my TBR.

This is the first book I've read by this author, but it definitely won't be the last. I'm especially looking forward to reading Nora and Gabe's story now!

[Genni Piatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book in the Love in Ocean Grove series, and it doesn't disappoint! I don't know what it is about these books but I can relate so hard to the characters. ACF does a great job of creating characters that feel real and that you can't help but love. I was glad that mental illness was written about so well, as she tends to do. Talking about mental illness, therapy, and medication are the only way to get rid of the stigma and educate those around us. I loved seeing Ben grow up in this book and enjoyed getting to check in on Norah and Gabe. I can't wait for the next book in the series.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another epic read by Anna Catherine Field! She has such a way of drawing the reader in even in the face of sickness. This was such a sweet romantic read. I fell in love with Liv and Ben and my heart broke with both of their seemingly uphill battles. Yet they were each other's stability and means for growth. This series of books are a must read for the young and young at heart. Don't pass these up, you won't be disappointed!!

[Mackenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was another great addition to this fun series. Like the other books, it was a quick read with just enough conflict to make it interesting. This book also had the addition of a more serious topic. Olivia has bipolar disorder and works on caring for herself while also managing life ups and downs. It was a great book.

[Kathleen Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this!

I am a 65 year old grandma and just love to read. This whole series is wonderful. I LOVED meeting the kids, learning about their lives, and sharing their pain and joys.
I will highly recommend these books to my 14 year old granddaughter.
Thank you Anna Catherine Field for sharing your talents in such a great way. Need to meet more of these kids!

[Kayleigh henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic read. I'm loving these books they are fun easy reads. Just brilliant.

[C bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. This one is meatier than the others in the series. A re - read most definitely.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good clean YA romance, did a good job touching base on bi-polar disorder.

[Stephanie Hodgson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun sweet coming of age story - perfect summer read!!