Audiobook review: Forever in Cape May by Jennifer Probst
Taylor and Pierce have been the best of friends since high school, and one thing they know for certain is that they never want to have sex and ruin their special bond. It helps that neither is attracted to the other, and the couple times they kissed ended with giggles. However, after a long, drunken, emotional night, the pair ends up having sex and nothing is the same.
Forever in Cape May has all the best features of the friends-to-lovers trope. Taylor and Pierce are equals from the start; each loves the other and has no interest in more. They have different life goals, and everyday they realize how perfect their friendship is just as it is. They share everything, leaning on the other during the bad/difficult times, while celebrating the successes. So after they end up having amazing sex, I appreciate that they don’t just pretend it didn’t happen, rather they do what they always have done and talk it out. Neither understands why they are suddenly so attracted to the other. Why they suddenly feel so much chemistry and other feelings. It’s confusing and unwanted in that they liked how things were and are scared they’ll lose it. But after realizing that they share a strong attraction, they decide to continue having sex and fall into the rationale of “if we have the sex, we won’t want the sex and we’ll get it out of our system.”
They pair has the summer, working and playing together, keeping their affair from friends and family. And it all seems to work for the weeks leading up to Taylor’s departure for Paris and her new life away from Cape May. However, here is where the communication breaks down. Although they are open, each hides a little bit of themselves, and that little bit is the potential game changer. They both are feeling restless and unfulfilled, and each approaches the feelings differently. Taylor is so certain she is broken and can’t ever love fully. She’s certain she knows what Pierce wants. Pierce is afraid of driving away Taylor… although it’s typical for the trope, it’s an emotionally satisfying story.
Narration: The story is shared via the third person alternating POVs of Taylor and Pierce, with Ms. Bloom (CB) sharing Taylor’s POV and Mr. Hamilton (TH) sharing Pierce’s POV. Overall, both narrators do a solid job with their primary character. CB adds a lot of emotion to the dialogue when called for. However, she has a fairly high-pitched voice, which doesn’t work all that well for the male characters. Similarly, TH has a deep, slightly accented voice that works well for male characters, but his female voices only slightly higher pitched, but still convincingly feminine. One issue I had for both narrators was that their range of voices for the different characters was not all that varied and caused character confusion several times.
In the end, Forever in Cape May is my favorite of the series. The story of friends to lovers has all the familiar ups and downs, and the couple gets trapped in familiar pitfalls, but it’s worth the journey and risk.
My Ratings
Story: B+
Narration: B/B-
Jen
About the Book:
Taylor Sunshine and Pierce Powers vowed to keep things platonic. They already have the best of each other: loyalty, friendship, and trust. Why ruin the perfect relationship? That kind of forever love isn’t in the picture anyway for a restless, aspiring artist like Taylor. Her sights are set beyond the horizon of Cape May and Sunshine Bridal.
The oceanfront hometown is part of Pierce’s heart—just like Taylor is. And it breaks at the thought of her leaving. As her closest friend since high school, he supports her desires, even if she must follow them away from Cape May. But when their defenses are down, all it takes is one impulsive, vulnerable night to change all the rules.
From old friends to overnight lovers, they make a new pact: explore a summer fling, no strings attached. But as the nights heat up and their connection grows deeper, hard choices must be faced. As summer nears its end, will Taylor and Pierce fulfill their individual dreams? Or are new dreams just beginning to come true?
Author: Jennifer Probst
Narrators: Teddy Hamilton, CJ Bloom
Series: The Sunshine Sisters Series #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Audiobook Release Date: April 6, 2021
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Length: 8 hrs and 25 mins
Source: Publisher
Audio Speed: 1.25x
Purchase info:
Audible/Amazon (affilate link)
Reviews in the Series:
Love on Beach Avenue by Jennifer Probst (Sunshine Sisters #1) – Audiobook Review
Temptation on Ocean Drive by Jennifer Probst (Sunshine Sisters #2) – Audiobook Review