Deep End
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Deep End
Buy Now for £15.99
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Narrated by:
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Ben Holtzmuller
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Therese Plummer
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By:
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Ali Hazelwood
About this listen
A competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.
Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A junior at Stanford and a student athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships - at least, that's what she tells herself.
Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It's how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.
So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water...
*Ali Hazelwood's Deep End was a Sunday Times bestseller w/e 23 February 2025
I had one main problem though and thats, I don't understand why or how everyone went along with pretending Lucas and Pen were still together, at all let alone for like 8 MONTHS! I couldn't understand why it was necessary, why they went along with it, and how on earth they kept that a secret. It was the biggest red flag and obviously going to backfire at some point.
Other than that I really enjoyed. Would recommend.
Would recommend
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The character development is so natural that the setting faded into the background, for me. Even the side characters felt very vivid and real.
I feel like the spice level keeps creeping up, book after book, and I LOVE that. The kink feels organic and true to life, and I really hope she keeps writing kinky characters!
The dual voice acting performances are great. It was lovely to hear the same main narrator as in “Bride”, and the male narrator’s Swedish accent was subtly sexy (although I have no idea how good/accurate it may or may not be!). Both were emotive without being over-the top, which can sometimes be a tricky balance.
If this is your first Ali Hazelwood book, you’re in for a treat, and if you’ve liked her work before, you’ll probably love this one too! Highly recommend (even if you, like me, HATE swimming pools lol).
Ali Hazelwood, you did it again!
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Good
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Control over trauma
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Let's be honest, I would read anything Ali writes and this book was no exception. When I first saw her post on Instagram about the premise and how you wanted the book to be called Whet, I was hooked for reasons I still can't fully explain. Then, when I saw her in Liverpool for her tour with Julie Soto, she kept talking about this book, how it would be a sports romance and STEM, and that she really wanted the title to be Whet (this was over six months ago). As the release date was getting closer, I thought I might not start it immediately because I was still recovering from an Onyx Storm book hangover, but the first moment I started, I couldn't stop.
I was hesitant at first because, although I loved her previous book, I couldn't feel the connection with the characters, it felt like just another spicy book. But this one took that spice and gave me two broken characters, a real connection, and a lot of extra heat. I daresay this is her spiciest book for me, and I loved it.
We explore people-pleasing, PTSD, and that taboo of sexuality and BDSM, which I loved was explored in a consensual way, because what's hotter that? I think this felt too vanilla for some, but let's not forget that this is the first time for both characters to explore these intense dynamics. That raw, unpolished discovery really adds to the overall plot of the story. I had a crappy day on Monday, and this book was the therapy I needed, especially since it also delves into going through therapy and opening up to others to allow them to help.
I keep hearing people say they don't relate to Scarlett, but I see so much of myself in her. I’ve never been a full athlete, but I experienced a severe burnout from stress that left me with deep insecurities and trauma. I've been working with a therapist to overcome my perfectionism and people-pleasing tendencies, and I could truly see myself in Scarlett after she had her accident. What really resonated with me was how she found a partner with whom she could let go completely, especially sexually, this gave her the power and security she needed to rebuild herself. It’s that raw vulnerability and strength that made her journey feel so personal and real to me. But, like with every story, this is not for everyone.
I also loved, and snorted at (view spoiler) Plus, the fact that the audio is a duet really added an extra layer of enjoyment to the experience. Also, the epilogue is chef's kiss ❤️
chef's kiss
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