A review by gwenswoons
This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This one made me weep. I loved it so beyond much. I’ve loved both of Carley Fortune’s previous books, too — I pre-ordered this one and made it almost a month before I caved, trying to wait so I could savor it and have it to look forward to. But devoured it in just a few days once I gave in. It is so beautiful - I think my favorite one of hers yet. The setting is so deeply gorgeous, and her writing is so sensuous — not just the sex writing (which is, yes, incredibly gorgeous too), but the descriptions of all there is to love in the world: of the flowers, the water, the smell of places and people we love, the things we eat. So much just deep and beautiful sensory pleasure in this book - it’s heady and just overwhelmingly beautiful. I loved the dual timelines throughout and was actually stunned when the HEA seemed to arrive and then got pulled out from under me (this is not a spoiler!! It was in the third act but I was listening on audio and didn’t see the time thought we’d been through a lot already!!!!!)! But Fortune uses that extra time at the end of the book to do some of the most deliberate and hopeful and special character growth I’ve ever read in a romance (I say this as someone who loves and reads A LOT of gorgeously written romance - this was just truly exceptional). Anyway: I loved, I loved. I love the depth of the friendships here, I love both main characters intensely much, I love these people who are so deep and feelingful and involved about their work. I love this book.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings