A review by jennastopreading
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

emotional reflective tense 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

3.75


When I saw the cover of this one, I knew I had to have it. Do I judge books by their covers? Sort of. But I definitely am inspired to pick books up because of their covers.

This story gave me all the nostalgic feelings of falling in love for the first time. There's something so sweet and romantic to me about finding your way back to the first person that stole your heart, and that's exactly what we get to follow. Percy and Sam met at 13 and spent every summer together for years, growing a friendship that turned into the kind of love that you can only feel when you fall for someone as a teenager.

I loved the setting of this story and the imagery of summers in the sun and working in a restaurant. Sam's character brought a smile to my face almost as much as his brother Charlie made me cringe. Sam was endearing, innocent, and so lovable that my heart wanted to burst at least once a chapter.

The biggest drawback of this story for me came toward the end, and I worry that sharing it will spoil the story. But if you've read it, just know that the "big reveal" was cringe-y for me and really gave me the ick.

All in all, I really enjoyed this quintessential read, and it made me want to hug my husband (my first love).
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