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emotional
funny
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Watching Alice and Charlie fall in love was a gift. Carley Fortune has such a talent for capturing the cozy, dazzling, exciting, and wholesome magic of a summer romance and the hopeful anticipation of a second chance coming-of-age in adulthood story. If I’m lucky enough to have a lake house one day with a comfort read library, this will be the first to hit the shelf.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical content
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Alice's grandma broke her hip and now needs help for the Summer. They decide to return to the lake house from Alice's childhood. When they get there Alice meets Charlie, the neighbor that has lived in her brain for years. She started her career with a photo of him. He has no idea who she is.
When they inevitably start spending more time together they know it's only for the Summer. They're just friends and they may have a good time together, but that's all. Until feelings start and navigating them is impossible.
It was nice to see Sam and Percy again. The characters in this book were flawed, but still lovable. Great summer Read.
When they inevitably start spending more time together they know it's only for the Summer. They're just friends and they may have a good time together, but that's all. Until feelings start and navigating them is impossible.
It was nice to see Sam and Percy again. The characters in this book were flawed, but still lovable. Great summer Read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Charlie Florek is arrogant and obnoxious AF, but we still Stan his charming, fine ass
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexual content, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy
Pregnancy & infidelity are not main plotlines for the main characters in the present timeline- it is mentioned as a past event
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.75 ⭐️ “Good things happen at the lake.”
Thirty-two year old Alice and her grandmother, Nan, decide to spend their summer at the lake cottage their family spent one golden summer in back when Alice was 17. In comes her beautiful, arrogant neighbor, Charlie and they spend the summer living like teenagers and crossing items off Alice’s bucket list.
This book made me nostalgic; it reminded me of what a carefree summer felt like when I was 17 when the days were long and lazy while the months flew in the blink of an eye. The banter was top notch and I found myself laughing out loud all throughout the book. It truly is a perfect summer read.
Thirty-two year old Alice and her grandmother, Nan, decide to spend their summer at the lake cottage their family spent one golden summer in back when Alice was 17. In comes her beautiful, arrogant neighbor, Charlie and they spend the summer living like teenagers and crossing items off Alice’s bucket list.
This book made me nostalgic; it reminded me of what a carefree summer felt like when I was 17 when the days were long and lazy while the months flew in the blink of an eye. The banter was top notch and I found myself laughing out loud all throughout the book. It truly is a perfect summer read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity, Death of parent
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I almost DNFed this book. The pacing just felt super slow. And it took forever for me to put two and two together and realize Charlie is THE Charlie. Like even after they introduced Sam and Percy, I was totally clueless. (It’s been awhile since I read ESA, okay? I just like Carley Fortune and I hadn’t heard anything about this book before reading.) Once I realized 24 chapters in that this is a sequel and not some random, I became reinvested. I’m glad I kept reading because the romance finally started to make headway and the payoff was good.
Some good character development here, likable characters, a romance you can root for, and an overall feel-good story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Moderate: Death of parent, Pregnancy
Minor: Infidelity
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this one. I always love the homey feeling of these books being set in Canadian cottage country and this one was no different. Probably one of if not my favourite from this author. The ending really hit home for me based on past experiences with boyfriends heart problems before we were together, and not wanting to lose the person as a friend to try for something more. Also I loved Nan being involved through the whole thing - hers and Charlie’s friendship makes it so much more special. This makes me want to go back to reread Every Summer After but also I’m scared because I loved Charlie in this one and don’t want to go back to hating him!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy
Minor: Drug use, Infidelity, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was SO excited to return to Barry's Bay for One Golden Summer, and I truly felt like the magic from Every Sumer After was captured beautifully. I loved that Charlie got his own happily ever after. I enjoyed Alice and saw parts of myself in her. I really loved the "summer list" and idea of new experiences in your thirties. I love Charlie too (obviously)! I also really enjoyed Nan (how cute were she and Charlie??). Bonus for getting some glimpses of Sam and Percy (I've missed them!). This is really such a bingeable book- I couldn't put it down!! Highly recommend for fans of Every Summer After (read it first)!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you to PRH Audio for the free audiobook and thank you to the publisher for the free eARC!
Rating: 5/5 stars
Alice Everly returns to Barry’s Bay to spend time with her grandmother and relive the summer she was seventeen, and gets some help checking off her summer bucket list from local Charlie Florek.
I was a Charlie Florek girl from EVERY SUMMER AFTER, but this book cemented him as one of my top book boyfriends ever. The way he knew what Alice needed and stepped up to take care of her without being asked???? Perfection. I also loved Alice, and thought she was the perfect other half for Charlie—their flirting and banter was absolutely perfect.
Barry’s Bay was already one of my favorite novel settings ever, and this book made me want to visit SO badly. I truly hope we get to visit in books again (Carley, if you see this…Harrison’s story?!?! Please????)
Also, my review could not possibly be complete without a mention of Nan, who was iconic and wonderful. I ADORE the “older loved one can see how down bad the MCs are for each other before they realize themselves” trope, and the entire relationship dynamic here gave me all the warm fuzzies.
And, on top of ALL of this, the audio production was SO good—I absolute love Carley’s books in that format and AJ Bridel did SUCH a good job. I have no doubt this one will be one of my favorite reads of the summer!
CW: Medical content; mentions of past infidelity; mentions of past toxic relationship
Rating: 5/5 stars
Alice Everly returns to Barry’s Bay to spend time with her grandmother and relive the summer she was seventeen, and gets some help checking off her summer bucket list from local Charlie Florek.
I was a Charlie Florek girl from EVERY SUMMER AFTER, but this book cemented him as one of my top book boyfriends ever. The way he knew what Alice needed and stepped up to take care of her without being asked???? Perfection. I also loved Alice, and thought she was the perfect other half for Charlie—their flirting and banter was absolutely perfect.
Barry’s Bay was already one of my favorite novel settings ever, and this book made me want to visit SO badly. I truly hope we get to visit in books again (Carley, if you see this…Harrison’s story?!?! Please????)
Also, my review could not possibly be complete without a mention of Nan, who was iconic and wonderful. I ADORE the “older loved one can see how down bad the MCs are for each other before they realize themselves” trope, and the entire relationship dynamic here gave me all the warm fuzzies.
And, on top of ALL of this, the audio production was SO good—I absolute love Carley’s books in that format and AJ Bridel did SUCH a good job. I have no doubt this one will be one of my favorite reads of the summer!
CW: Medical content; mentions of past infidelity; mentions of past toxic relationship
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content
Minor: Infidelity, Toxic relationship
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing, Drug use, Infidelity, Pregnancy