A review by hopefulromanticreads
Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

Every Summer After is told from the POV of Percy, the female main character, and alternates between present day in Toronto and the past summers spent in Barry’s Bay. 

It’s a summer-themed romance that allows you to revisit the magical feeling you got as a kid when you made a new friend on vacation or holiday, the excitement of a first crush, and the crushing heartbreak many of us have experience for various reasons. 

This would’ve been a five star book for me, but I had an issue with the main conflict between our 2 MCs (which I’ll detail below behind a spoiler tag). 

When I finished this book, I was left thinking about the fact that love is about choices, and sometimes about timing too. It’s about being imperfect and finding someone who loves and accepts your imperfections. Someone who fits perfectly with you. It also had me thinking about betrayal, guilt, and what I personally could or could not forgive. And above all, it left me with the warm embrace of nostalgia. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Infidelity, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Grief

Minor: Bullying and Cancer

My main reason for not giving this book 5 stars is because I had an issue with the main betrayal/conflict between Percy and Sam. Percy’s infidelity with Sam’s brother felt like it came out of left field, was out of character for her, and the fact that it was his brother felt icky. I also didn’t find it believable that Sam’s brother would do that to him. I think there could’ve been a different conflict or reason for their separation that would have fit better with the characters & their relationships.