The Summer Oath by Claire Friedman

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A witty, contemporary romantic comedy inspired by Shakespeare’s classic Love’s Labour’s Lost, starring Maya Hawke, KJ Apa, Ego Nwodim, Milly Alcock, Alexandra Shipp, Gavin Casalegno, and Peri Gillpin

Bestselling romance author Livia Gaines (Maya Hawke) hasn’t written a single usable sentence since her long-term boyfriend blindsided her with a breakup—an ironic twist for someone paid to make happily-ever-afters look easy. With her deadline looming and her publisher threatening to cancel her contract, Livia’s agent offers a housesit a secluded Hamptons estate and finish her novel in peaceful isolation.

When her best friends catch wind of this opportunity, they quickly invite themselves along. For Zara (Ego Nwodim), the Hamptons is the perfect hunting ground to snare a wealthy husband instead of facing her career woes. For Eloise (Milly Alcock), who was recently scammed by a medium, the summer house is an ideal rent-free sanctuary where she can realign her chakras (and credit score).

Livia reluctantly agrees to their company with one non-negotiable a summer-long vow of absolutely no romantic entanglements. Easy enough—until another housesitting group arrives, claiming equal rights to the property—courtesy of the estate’s other divorced owner. Among these unexpected housemates is Ezra Keats (KJ Apa), the college crush Livia never quite recovered from, the what-if she’s been fictionalizing ever since. As Livia battles both her deadline and her undeniable attraction to Ezra, her friends secretly abandon their promises, embarking on passionate affairs they clumsily hide from their oath-keeping friend.

With summer temperatures rising and her publisher’s deadline hanging over her, Livia faces multiple a manuscript that refuses to materialize, a seemingly interested crush who inconveniently keeps showing up shirtless, friends sneaking around behind her back, and a looming discovery that could get them all evicted.

The Summer Oath

Sun, Secrets, and Seriously Good Chemistry.

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💚🩷💙❤️
Spice/Heat: 🌶️🌶️
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎
Character development: 😋😉😎
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Full Cast Duet Narration

Claire Friedman’s The Summer Oath is the kind of audiobook that feels tailor-made for headphones on a warm day; light, witty, and just messy enough to keep things interesting. Inspired by Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost, the story follows romance author Livia Gaines as she escapes to the Hamptons to cure her writer’s block… and promptly vows to avoid romance altogether. Naturally, that promise doesn’t last long.

What makes this audiobook stand out immediately is its full-cast narration, and it absolutely delivers. Maya Hawke leads the performance as Livia, bringing a grounded vulnerability that makes her both relatable and frustrating in the best way. KJ Apa complements her perfectly as Ezra, the irresistible “one that got away,” and their chemistry comes through clearly in the banter and quieter emotional moments. The supporting cast—including Milly Alcock, Ego Nwodim, Alexandra Shipp, Gavin Casalegno, and Peri Gilpin—adds depth and energy, making the listening experience feel more like an audio drama than a traditional narration.

The story itself leans into classic rom-com tropes: forced proximity, second-chance romance, and the inevitable breaking of a no-dating pact. But instead of feeling predictable, it embraces the chaos. Livia’s struggle with writer’s block parallels her emotional journey, and the theme that “real life makes the best stories” lands nicely without being heavy-handed.

One of the audiobook’s strongest elements is its tone. It balances humor and heart effortlessly. The friendships feel just as important as the romance, adding warmth and a sense of found family that elevates the story beyond a simple love story. At times, the plot can feel a bit familiar, and the stakes are relatively low, but that’s also part of its charm—it’s meant to be a breezy, feel-good listen rather than something deeply intense.

If there’s a drawback, it’s that the ensemble format can occasionally feel a little busy, especially if you prefer a single narrator style. But for most listeners, the dynamic performances will be a major plus rather than a distraction.

Overall, The Summer Oath is a fun, flirty, and immersive audiobook that thrives on its stellar cast and easygoing storytelling. It’s perfect for fans of contemporary romance, especially if you enjoy authors like Emily Henry or stories with strong friendship dynamics and a summery setting.

Rating: 3.25 ⭐ out of 5
A charming, laugh-out-loud romantic escape that shines brightest in audio form

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