This one has a lot of hype and for good reason, Every Summer After is a must read summer book! I can't recommend it enough! If you're a fan of the second chance romance trope, definitely pick this one up! It is heartbreaking, will give you all the feels, and is all about a first love.

One thing I've realized this year is that my favorite romances might just be the second chance kind that alternate between the present-day adult characters and their past younger selves. Every Summer After totally fits the bill. Persephone (Percy) Fraser and her family spent six summers of her life in Barry's Bay, whether she met and eventually fell in love with Sam Florek. They were inseparable as they went from friends to something entirely more, until it all blew up and they dropped out of their each other's lives. Then Percy gets a call about Sam's mother's funeral and she knows she has to go back. As they reconnect in the present over the course of a weekend, we get frequent glimpses to the past which little by little shed light on their current situation. I enjoyed both timelines, wanting to know more, and I rooted for them to face what was undeniably between them. Their story pulled me in, in a way that I wasn't expecting when I started it. That said, I do think the climax and resolution felt really rushed as certain truths didn't get revealed until there was only 20% left and I wish the former had happened much sooner. But honestly, even with that criticism, it was still a really good book and I'm so glad I decided to read it!

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune is a progressive coming-of-age book. It follows Sam and Persophone each summer for six years as they grow from teens to adults. I enjoyed the characters and the story. There were a few moments that I was like, "seriously, they made that choice?" But that is what makes the book so real. It brings out the not-so-smart choices to light and yet finds a way to bring them to closure.

I love a story of young love that sticks so I had to jump in to this summer romance! A coming of age plot paired with a second chance love story meant I couldn't put this down and blew through it in a day. What a wonderful summer read; I've been recommending it like crazy!

Every Summer After by Carly Fortune is a 2022 Berkley publication.

Persephone ‘Percy’ Fraser meets Sam while summering at Barry’s Bay as a teenager. Each year their bond grows stronger as they grapple with the implications and possible consequences of acting on their developing feelings for each other that goes far beyond friendship. But something transpires that sends Percy scurrying away from Barry’s Bay, never to speak to Sam or his family again….

Until, Sam’s brother calls Percy out of the blue, over a decade later, to deliver bad news and ask her to come back to Barry’s Bay. Despite her complicated feelings, Percy immediately packs a bag and heads toward to an uncertain reunion with Sam…

This book got a little buzz going this summer- and I thought it sounded pretty good. I went in with high hopes, but for me the story was kind of boring, falling short of the 'coming of age' drama I was hoping for.

I have no trouble reading about people falling in love, making big mistakes, then getting a second chance to get things right. In fact, it is one of my favorite romance tropes. I was just expecting something more profound with this one, because you know, I’ve been patronized for reading this exact storyline from Harlequin romance, but it’s perfectly fine when it is packaged as a ‘coming of age’ tale.

The author practically announces the big ‘secret’ well before the end of the book, but then makes the reader wait until the bitter end to find out the specifics- which of course, was the only thing that kept me from giving up on it. I was sorely tempted to just skip ahead and find out how it all went down, skip to the end and the HEA, and be done with it, but I kept hoping there was more to the story than what I was seeing on the surface, but it ended predictably, as I’d feared.

Overall, this one was a letdown.

2 stars

So, after I saw all the hype and 5 stars for this one.... I had a feeling that I may end being an outlier.

I unfortunately was an outlier for this one and can't really see what all the hype is about. I felt like this was a bit of a bad YA novel. Majority of the teens are obsessed with sex and jump in bed at the first chance they can get. The scenes were a bit cringey for me.

I feel like I didn't connect with the characters like everyone else did and was alternating between bored and just losing interest. I also am over all these romance beach reads.

I want something fresh and original and just felt that this fell too flat and something that didn't hit the mark for me.

Overall, 3/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was incredible - it had the perfect level of angst for a second chance romance and is the perfect read for summer time. I really enjoyed how the flashbacks were used - they were brisk and really lent themselves to the overall story. I didn't see the end coming.

💖𝗙𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗥 💖

SUMMARY: Persephone and Sam spent every summer together at the lake where they met and fell in love. But a major rift 12 years ago kept the pair apart until the death of Sam’s mother brings Persephone back to town for the first time in over a decade.

I’d been camping on this since it came out in May. I knew it was going to be good, and I’d seen so many positive reviews, but it’s a little more emotional than the romcoms I normally gravitate toward.

Guys, I loved it!! I devoured it in 2 days over Labor Day weekend. At the same lake where I grew up spending time with my high school sweetheart, now husband. So let’s just say it gave me ALL THE FEELINGS.

The story alternates between the couple’s past and present, so there is a bit of angst-ridden pining and self-inflicted drama, but it felt so authentic for who they were at the time. Youths!

Read it if you’re looking for:

💖A more emotional love story
💖Second-chance romance
💖Friends to lovers
💖Childhood sweethearts

I’ve seen it compared to Christina Lauren’s Love and Other Words, which is on my TBR. It also was similar in tone to Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation.

What was your favorite read of the summer–romance or otherwise?

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

Such a great debut, perfect for Summertime reading!

I knew I would love this story, since so many of my book-loving friends devoured it in one sitting. I did in fact love it, and felt like it was a great debut featuring a second chance romance.

Percy and Sam were such great characters, and there was so much self-discovery within each of them as they navigate life from early teens through adulthood. I think the only thing keeping me from a five star read was that it just came across as more of a YA story to me.

*many thanks to Berkley for the gifted copy for review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙎𝙞𝙭 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚. 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩. 𝘼 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.

This was the perfect summer read full of angst and heartbreak. I went into this book with super high expectations as everyone has been talking about it, and honestly, it was a fun and enjoyable romance.

Percy and Sam meet in their teens at a lake where Sam lives and Percy visits every summer. They soon become best friends, falling in love slowly after their connection builds.

In this book we get a past and present: the past being Percy and Sam in their teens, while the present is Percy returning to the lake after Sam’s mother passed away. There’s a big secret between these two as to why they didn’t work out, but after 10 years that secret may just be revealed.

I enjoyed the connection between Percy and Sam, and even Sam’s brother, Charlie. It was definitely heartwarming seeing Percy return and I just really loved Sam’s character. There was also some teen drama that added to the story.

The setting of this book was so nostalgic! It made me feel happy and wishing I was at that lake for the summer.

Normally I’m not a fan of second chance romance nor best friends to lovers, but this was one of those occasions where it was acceptable.

However, one of the biggest issues I had with the story itself was the whole “miscommunication”. I felt like the ‘big reveal’ was a bit rushed and also these characters could’ve sat down and talked about it 10 years ago. The lack and ability of these characters to talk it out years ago would’ve prevented the situation they were in. I can’t talk too much about that secret as it’s a spoiler, but I do wish they would’ve talked it out when they were teens.

I really liked the way this author wrote this story and I definitely will be picking up more from Carley in the future.

📍If you’re a fan of any of these…

• 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙊𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙖 𝙇𝙖𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙣
• 𝙋𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙒𝙚 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙊𝙣 𝙑𝙖𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙀𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙃𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙮
• 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙄 𝙏𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝙅𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙮 𝙃𝙖𝙣

… then I highly suggest you check this book out!

I loved Every Summer After. I fell in love with Sam, Charlie, and Percy and was extremely invested in the story from early on. While we get the most character development from Percy, the protagonist, Fortune’s descriptions of Sam jump off the page. Charlie was a little less fleshed out, but still a strong character who felt distinct enough from his brother, Sam. This is an emotional read that keeps you turning the pages to find out what happened between Sam and Percy all those years ago. Switching between the present and multiple summers past, the story is full of heart and delicious tension throughout, and the writing is top notch. Every so often, I’d find myself stopping to reread a particular description or simile just because it was so beautifully written. I’d definitely recommend this to fans of Emily Henry, Lizzy Dent, or Sarah Dessen — or anyone who enjoys coming of age stories, first loves, or novels set in small towns on the water.

I felt like this one was so overhyped. When I heard comparisons to The Summer I Tirunelveli Pretty and Love and Other Words I was sold but Sam was one of the worst love interests I’ve ever read. Constantly making Percy second guess everything and then when they finally get together he ghosts her? No.

Hands down, Every Summer After by Carley Fortune will be one of my top reads of the year!

"Told over the course of six years and one weekend, Every Summer After is a big, sweeping nostalgic look at love and the people and choices that mark us forever.

Six summers to fall in love. One moment to fall apart. A weekend to get it right."

In an alternating timeline, we get a friends-to-lovers meets second chance romance featuring Percy and Sam: childhood friends who spent their summers at Barry's Bay in Canada (now a new place I must visit)!

This book is deserving of all the hype! I could not put it down and had a major book hangover when this one ended. The setting, the friendships, the side characters, the angst, everything was perfect!

This was an incredible debut and I can't waittt for Carley Fortune's next release!!

Absolutely loved Every Summer After by Carley Fortune. My friends were all raving about it, and it was 100% worth the read. I loved the back and forth between Sam and Percy and how this book jumped between timelines. It slowly revealed their beautiful but also difficult back story together. I kept wait to see what it was that tore them apart and how they were going to get back together!!

https://www.tiktok.com/@bettysbooklist/video/7129938661973495082?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en

The hype is real for this book! I wish that I could read it for the first time again. It has such a good nostalgia/young love kind of read. I really don't like second-chance romances that much, but with this YA to New adult progression of Percy and Sam, I ended up loving it. I just love a feel-good first love story with a little bit of spice. This is a book that I am going to purchase a physical copy of since I read an ebook of it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.

Loved every bit of this story! What a great beach read! It made me laugh and cry. What a tender love story and coming of age journey!

Help this book has ruined me! 100% lived up to all the hype.

‘Every Summer After’ is one of those books that has that elusive “it” factor and deserves all the accolades! This heartfelt story has it all: the ache of first love, friends-to-lovers romance, and two very flawed characters who were messy, funny, sweet and just very relatable.

Percy and Sam grew up spending summers on a lake in the small town of Barry’s Bay, Canada. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to spend any time in the summer in Canada, this part of the book will inspire nostalgia for the peaceful beauty of summers in Canada.

The two timelines worked perfectly for me. “Before” takes place beginning when Percy and Sam first met 13 years ago. They way the author develops their first love reminded me of my early romance-reading days and could not have been sweeter or more emotional.

”The way I felt about you was always so clear to me—even when we were young I knew you and I were meant for each other. Two halves of a whole. I loved you so much that the word ‘love’ didn’t seem big enough for how I felt.”

Something happened and Percy and Sam stopped speaking. The “Now” chapters take place after an event brings Percy back to Barry’s Bay. All of her old feelings for Sam come flooding back. My heart ached for them! This book had me all up in my feels. It’s crystal clear they two still have powerful feelings for each other but something happened all those years ago to come between their love for each other.

”Betrayals don’t cancel each other out. They just hurt more.”

MY HEART! Carley Fortune has written a sweet, sexy and complicated romance that perfectly captures the emotions and nostalgia of first love. Kudos to the cover designer as well for the lovely book cover design. ‘Every Summer After’ is the perfect summer romance!

”I don't take things for granted anymore. I don't take people for granted. And I know time is not infinite.”

(I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.)

Every Summer After is a spectacular debut from author Carley Fortune. This is one of my favorite romance novels, and I “felt” this book as opposed to just reading it. It is about the relationship between Sam and Persephone (Percy) who meet as teenagers at Percy’s family’s cottage on her vacation home in Barry’s Bay, Canada. The story spans 12 years and follows the endearing and sweet friendship of Sam and Percy from the time they meet until the present day. It alternates between the present and flashbacks of each of the six summers that Sam and Percy spent together, and chronicles how their friendship evolves into something much more. This story was an endearing “friends to lovers” story, while at the same time being a complex and emotional love story.

I immediately fell in love with Percy and Sam. Their connection and relationship was entirely believable. All of the characters were deeply developed, came to life and were relatable. The story was filled with authentic dialogue and realistic situations. The author absolutely captured the angst and vulnerability of young love, developing identity, guilt, regret, resentment, and second chances. Issues with anxiety and grief were also sensitively explored. I loved the well-plotted storytelling and could not put the book down, wanting to find out what had driven apart this couple who once seemed fated for each other. The story was heart rending, and I came away feeling like I intimately knew the characters, (including Sam’s brother Charlie).

The setting of the cottage by the water was vividly portrayed and would make any reader nostalgic for past summer days being spent by the lake or at camp. All of the chapters in the present took place over one weekend, and the majority of the book took place in flashbacks. There was a slow build-up to the end of the story, and I wished that more chapters had been devoted to the present day and focused on the characters as adults working through their conflicts. Although a lot of the book was spent on the characters as teenagers, I did not consider this YA (young adult) fiction. When the book ended, I wanted to start reading it again! I am still thinking about these characters and would love a sequel.

I can’t believe that this is the author’s first book. It is a beautiful and emotionally satisfying debut and is the perfect summer beach read. It is deserving of all the current hype. This is a book that I won’t ever forget. I can’t imagine anyone not loving it.

I loved this debut. I think it was absolutely delightful.

This had a lot going on with the flashbacks and I think that seeing the arc and development of Percy and Sam’s relationship was a pleasure. From middle school age through their teen years, their friendship and eventual love is really special to behold. The first love element that leads to a second chance romance is a unique trope that I have not often read.

The book follows Persephone Fraser after she returns back to the lakeside town that she spent summers in growing up and where she first fell in love. She is coming back but the boy she loved is going to be there too. With a series of flashbacks interspersed with real time we as the reader are able to see the growth and development of the relationship she has with Sam(the boy next door-literally), all while not knowing exactly what happened to get them to this place.

This book is romantic and sexy. I loved the second chance romance elements and I look forward to Carley Fortune’s next release. Thank you Berkeley and NetGalley for the opportunity to check this one out!