Narrated by Charlotte North
The big draw for me with It Happened One Summer was the combination of Charlotte North’s narration with the grumpy one and sunshiney one trope – which is apparently my catnip. It proved to be a winning pairing. I had so much fun listening to this story!
It Happened One Summer has a Schitt’s Creek vibe. Pampered socialite Piper Bellinger is cut off by her wealthy movie-producer stepdad and banished from LA to Westport in Washington state. Her biological father, Henry Cross, was a king crab fisherman there. He died on the job and after that great loss, Piper’s mother moved to LA with Hannah (Piper’s younger sister) to get away from the memories. As a consequence, Piper and Hannah know little about Henry or their roots. Henry owned a bar in Westport and Piper’s stepdad gives her some seed money but tells her that she’s on her own for three months after that. Loyal Hannah goes with her.
Given the Schitt’s Creek feel to the story, I couldn’t help but picture Alexis but if there was intended to be a resemblance it was only on the surface. Piper is very much her own character. (For the record I’m a fan of both Alexis and Piper.)
In Westport, Piper meets Brendan Taggart, a 6’4” brawny sea captain who doesn’t like to step outside of his routine. Piper represents a fairly catastrophic blow to his equilibrium and he’s initially very unwelcoming. However, this changes quickly as he sees that there is more to Piper than “ditzy airhead socialite”.
While Piper, it’s true, doesn’t even know how to make toast when she arrives in Westport and has a number of hilarious adventures in the domestic arena, she does have many other good qualities. She’s generous, honest, kind, skilled with makeup and knowledgeable about fashion and design. She has felt that she has to be constantly “on” in order to be accepted by her contemporaries in LA. In Westport, she finds a community and a sense of belonging. And, she finds Brendan.
Brendan is a widower who has been stuck for the seven years since his wife died. But Piper wakes him up fast. In fact, his switch from “no way” to “all in” is fairly quick but for all that I believed it. When Brendan makes a decision, he doesn’t mess around.
The challenge of course is that Piper wasn’t going to stay. How can Westport compare with the bright lights and big city? How can what Brendan offers compare to the adulation of millions on Instagram? It’s a romance so there’s little doubt about where it’s all headed but the story is the journey after all.
Brendan is determined to show Piper that he’s worth it and that he will work his ass off to make her happy and provide her with what she needs. But he’s also scared she won’t choose him which leads to the big conflict of the story.
Piper, for her part, is unsure she’s tough enough to be a king crab fisherman’s wife. Brendan’s job is the most dangerous in the world (I don’t know that’s true but that’s what the book said so I went with it. I have no idea but I was prepared to believe it was right up there near the top of the list.)
I loved the way Piper teased Brendan out of some of his more stubborn routines and challenged him to try new things. And, for Piper, Brendan did. He realised to keep her he needed to be willing to do things he hadn’t done before and he found out it was not-terrible – particularly if it made Piper smile.
I also loved the way Piper referred to Brendan’s embrace as the “recharging station”. *SWOON*
The sex was super hot and creative as well. Oh my.
Charlotte North’s narration was fantastic. I only had one small criticism and it’s something that is a personal peeve of mine. I like when a narrator adds a laugh to the dialogue (or a sigh etc as the case may be) when the text indicates it, but I do not like when the narrator adds a laugh (or sigh etc) in addition to the dialogue and text description. I find it jarring. I know lots of other listeners who feel the opposite however.
Other than that, the narration was superb. Ms. North has a wonderful hero voice, a broad range of character tones and is able to differentiate the ages of the various cast members vocally as well. I loved the way she brought the characters to life. I’m sure my feelings about Brendan and Piper were influenced by Ms. North’s characterisation and performance.
It Happened One Summer is a fun romantic comedy, sweetly charming and deeply sexy and I enjoyed it so much I know it’s going to be one I return to again in the future.
Kaetrin
Buy It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey on Amazon
