Reviews with content warning for Cancer - Every Summer After

When Persephone "Percy" Fraser is 13 her parents buy a cottage by the lake in Barry's Bay, a four-hour drive from their home in Toronto. Almost immidiately she meets the Florek brothers who live next door with their mom. Sam and Percy instantly become best friends and during five summers they're inseparable. Their friendship slowly turns into something more - until Percy makes the biggest mistake of her life. Twelve years later she's back in Barry's Bay for the first time since that last summer, and she's both anxious and terrified of meeting Sam again.

This is both a best friends-to-lovers and a second chance romance; two of my favorite tropes! It reminds me of "Love and Other Words" by Christina Lauren - which I loved - but although there are similarities I think that "Every Summer After" holds its own merit. Sam is truly a dream guy, caring and thoughtful, and knows from early on that he wants to become a doctor. Percy is also a wonderful character, but her low self esteem makes her misinterpret things and she makes some bad decisions. Pretty common teenager behaviour, but I still wish I could give her some self-confidence.

" 'I loved you', he whispers.

'I know', I say.

Hurt eyes move across my face. 'You broke my heart.'

'I know that, too.' "

The timeline changes between now and the past summers, which makes you want to read "just one more chapter". At the same time I enjoyed being in Percy's and Sam's company so much that I didn't want to book to end! However, we only get Percy's POV, and I would have liked to get at least some chapters from Sam's point of view.

It was fun to read the author's note in the end, and see how much of her own life she put into the story. There's a lot of nostalgia, and I'm impressed that this is Fortune's debut. Perfect summer reading!

Content Warnings

victoriabay's review against another edition

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emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

I have quite the affinity for stories, told this way, something big, that’s looming over you, the whole book, and event that change the course of characters lives, but you slowly find out through out. I love the flipping off between the past, and the present for each chapter as you slowly put the piece, says of the puzzle that is, Sam and Percy is lives together.

Content Warnings

justovereherereading's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-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

4.5

This was a beautifully written story that didn't go the way that I expected or wanted- but I loved it anyway! I loved the look back over long summers at the lake, the teenage angst and drama and the way Persephone and Sam's lives played out...I couldn't put this down, I wanted to get to the happy ever after, but not in the way it actually played out, that bit broke my heart!!

Content Warnings

booksbroadwaybubbly's review against another edition

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emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

momma_needs_to_read's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted 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? Yes

4.5

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