Cover Image: Every Summer After

Every Summer After

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Member Reviews

4.5/5

Have you ever read a book that was set in a town that you know very well? And as you read it, you couldn’t help but smile as you vividly pictured yourself in the place of the main characters? That was how I felt reading Every Summer After, which is set in Eastern Ontario, where I grew up.

This book is a about Persephone (Percy) Fraser, who has spent the last 12 year’s avoiding the small town of Barry’s Bay after making the biggest mistake of her life. When she receives a phone call that sends her back to town, she must face Sam Florek - the man she left behind and assumed she would have to live without.

This story was so beautifully written and full of emotion, had incredible description of the location, and well developed characters. Percy was flawed but in a way that made her real and extremely relatable. I absolutely adored Sam, he was so sweet as a teen and charming as an adult.

I do have to say that I did not like the conflict at the end of the book, and that some parts felt a little rushed. Despite this, the rest of the book was so strong and I still loved the main characters so much.

This book is for all those who love a second chance romance, who want to read about glorious summers spent on the lake, and who know that Moose Tracks is one of the best ice cream flavours (IYKYK).

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I love a good second change romance book, and I love the friends to lovers trope even more. Carley Fortune does a beautiful job at pulling readers in from the very first chapter. This book reads like you're part of an inside joke between friends with how Carley paints the setting, character development, and references to the past like waves of blissful nostalgia.

I did find the ending a bit rushed, and the emotional maturity of the main character a tad unbelievable given the time jump which is why I'm giving this four stars. I recommend this book to everyone and is one of my favourites I've ever read.

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Such a fantastic read! Can't believe it's a debut. Loved the characters and writing in this book. Also enjoyed the setting and love that the author is Canadian. I'll definitely be reading more by this author.

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I really enjoyed the reading experience. Definitely gives off vibes from Summer Sisters by Judy Blume.

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I couldn't put this book down, although i will take away a star because it does have one of my least fav tropes in it. But other than that it was so similar to TATBILB

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here’s a book I read last weekend and loved. It’s a second chance romance and as someone who’s happy place is the exact location in the book I could envision all of the lake scenes at the cottage. Barry’s Bay Area is just so soul cleansing and I love nothing more than sunsets and sunrise on the dock!

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MAD LOVE for this one! I loved every page, Carley's ability to tell a beautiful story with only words is remarkable. I felt like I was watching a movie. I loved this one SO much and it was extra special as I am Canadian like Carley. BRAVO! If I could give this book 1000 stars I would!

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This was the perfect summer read! I loved the cottage setting which brought me back to so many Canadian summers. Such a good second chance romance/first love story. Would recommend for anyone who loves Christina Lauren or Abby Jiminez.

Thanks to Penguin Random House, Carley Fortune and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

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Very very cute and a light summer read!
Gives back the summer I turned pretty vibes.

I also wanted thank you so much for sending me an ARC of this book, I’m forever honoured to be among the people who have the joy of reading a new release sooner than the specific release date!

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Oh my, the hype is real for this one.

Teenage summers spent by the lake, best friends, first love, ALL the feel good nostalgia…… Ugh what’s not to love about this one?!

I know you’ve seen it everywhere already so I won’t repeat what you’ve read a million times, other than to reiterate, go buy it! And please do so before summer ends as I can’t think of a more perfect book to close out summer with.

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I absolutely adored this book! Set in cottage country in Ontario, it was the perfect book to kick off my summer reading list! I loved the buildup to the relationships between the main character and the two brothers. Highly recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to read a keep you on your toes romance!

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4 ⭐️

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Random House Canada, Viking and Carley Fortune for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

Persephone Fraser could have a different life if not for one big mistake she made one summer when she was too young. She could have stable relationship with a man she loved, she could have many cottage summers on the lake with her beloved and she would not lose the ability to write horror stories, that she loved tremendously. However, one misstep and her life is one of constant try to keep her heart protected and a distance from almost everyone. She must return once and look into her past, look into the eyes of her first love and see all the possibilities, she would confess of her mistake as it is too hard to carry it any longer. She dreams that it may help her overcome her burden and start her life from a blank page.

I did enjoy the novel quite a bit, particularly because it was set in Canada, near Toronto, near places I know, and it felt familiar. The character development is wonderful, the reader follows Percy’s contemplations about her past, she is developed both as a teenager and as an adult. Sam Florek, the first love, is greatly written too, their teenage romance is cute. At the same time, I felt like the build up was not worth the revelation, as I pretty much guess by the middle of the story. At some parts, it felt drugging to much and too much moaning. Overall, it was nice and quick read. I am looking forward to more work by Carley Fortune.

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Absolute perfection. In every single way.


This is THE book of summer. If you haven’t already fallen in love with this book, you MUST add it to your 2022 summer reading list. Apologies in advance for me never shutting up about this one!

A Canadian debut author with a gorgeous Canadian setting. An ode to cottage country Ontario, and cottage life. Teenage friends to lovers, AND a second chance romance. Dual timelines. Summer fun and first love nostalgia. ALL OF IT.

This book made me so happy. The writing feels like magic - there’s something about it that just captivates you, pulls you in and immediately makes you fall for these characters.

Percy is so real, raw and relatable. Sam is such a good friend to Percy. Seriously the boy every teenage girl wants to be friends with, and wants to fall in love with. The way their friendship develops was such a joy to witness and watching it become more made me SWOON.


I don’t always love when a book holds back on telling you a big reveal but somehow it completely worked for me here. I waited with my breath held to find out what ended Percy and Sam’s initial relationship - I had a feeling I knew what caused it but was also surprised about how it all unfolded. I actually stopped reading when I could tell the reveal was coming soon because I couldn’t face it and didn’t want it to happen.

And it broke my damn heart.

This book made me bawl, smile, laugh, swoon - all of the emotions.

I could seriously go on and on and it still wouldn’t do this book justice. This will be a top read for me this year! Trust me when I say this is a must read.

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This was a really good summer read. The setting in Ontario's cottage country was really well done, and made me feel like I was by the lake in the summer - something I have lots of memories of doing myself. Unfortunately I didn't love this one as much as I had expected to. I found the chapters that were set when they were teenagers to be a bit uncomfortable in a romance novel. Obviously these chapters were important to the plot, however it made it difficult for me to be very invested in the relationship of 16 year olds. I did really enjoy the parts where they were adults though, so I am looking forward to reading whatever Carley Fortune writes next!

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I absolutely adored this book, to the point I went out and purchased audiobook and physical copies after release.

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Sam and Percy have been best friends since they were 13 years old. Eventually their friendship turned into something more, until an fell spectacularly apart. It's been 12 years since she's seen him when she gets a call that sends her racing back to where it all began. Their connection is undeniable as it always was, but can she confront the decisions she made and the years she spent punishing herself for them?

Ok, WOW. I totally get why this is the book of the summer. I've been seeing it everywhere and was worried it might not live up to the hype, but IT DID. I read it in one day (which I hadn't done in a while), because I couldn't put it down. The split timeline kept things interesting as we slowly learn what happened that led them to split in the first place. The chemistry between Sam and Percy is undeniable and was a delight to read.

I recommend this to anyone who loves a book set in Ontario and/or anyone who loves an endearing love story.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the review copy.

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I love this book. Everything in me loves this book. However, I am having a hard time writing a review because I also just happened to read Love And Other Words a few days before this one (not knowing they had many similarities), and everything I want to say, I feel like I am repeating!!

I am very late to the game in reading this book; it has sat untouched on my Kindle app for far too long and I am ashamed. As a resident of Southern Ontario myself, I could not get over the Canadian references and different schools, places, and such, that I was familiar with! I LOVED being able to do vividly imagine this story because it made it feel SO REAL!

Those Florek brothers were to die for. Honestly. I love that I have read so many books lately featuring respectful and well-behaved young men - even if Charlie could be a bit testy sometimes… frankly, Charlie’s comments and “slip up” only made his character that much more real - and it was sooo blatant, right from the start, that he also had a thing for Percy so you knew he didn’t have ill intentions with his actions… Hats off to Sue Florek who raised some genuinely good boys on her own while also running a business and managing her household. I wish we could have heard from her at the end in some way, a note maybe, because I feel as if she had some wisdom to embark on adult Percy.

I loved this book so much that I had to buy a physical copy to keep on my shelf and I cannot wait to read more of Fortune’s work in the future!

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Every Summer After by Carley Fortune is a perfect read on a warm summer night. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an eArc to review. This book brings all the feels of spending the summer with friends, in bathing suits on the dock at the cottage. As Percy and Sam grow and change over the years you can’t help but fall in love with their story. If you love summer romance, this book is for you.

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Review of ‘Every Summer After’, by Carley Fortune

Sam and Charlie live in the house beside Percy’s family’s summer chalet. The trio meet when they are pre-teens, with Percy and Sam becoming fast friends. As the years advance, their friendship turns to more. But then everything falls apart and the two don’t speak for twelve years, when Percy returns for Sam’s mother’s funeral. Their connection is still there, but there is, obviously, a lot to talk about before any kind of friendship, let alone a relationship, can continue.

Carley Fortune has a way of making you feel all the aches and pains of her characters. Written in the POV of Percy, the chapters alternate between before the big break and 12 years after it. Charlie is the one calling up Percy after the boys’ mother passed, which is something interesting seeing how everything ends. It isn’t easy for Percy to return, and I felt terrible for her, reading how what happened 12 years ago was affecting her so profoundly even to this day. The sweetness of the years before the big break comes in such sharp contrast with the way this older Percy lives her life.

Yet again, so much pain and anguish could have been avoided if only the two of them had had a talk—and a big hurrah for the person who really pushed for this conversation to finally happen. A beautiful, poignant story that hopefully will remind readers of the importance of communication, else they, too, lose something incredibly precious in their lives.

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Set mostly in Barry's Bay, Ontario, this novel is centered around Percy (Persephone) Fraser. After having some social issues at school, Percy's parents bought a cottage in Barry's Bay, thinking it would do her good to have her away from the city for the summer and many weekends.
They spent six years going there, and from the start Percy was befriended by the two boys who lived next door, Sam and Charlie Florek. Sam is Percy's age, a quiet, smart, and observant boy. Charlie is a couple years older, always with a group of friends and also popular with the girls, much more social than his brother. They live with their mom, who runs a local popular restaurant.
Something happened at the end of that six years to the growing relationship between Sam and Percy, and because it was also the year that Percy's parents sold the cottage, she has never been back, and the rift has never been resolved.
The story begins ten years after that, when Charlie lets Percy know that their mother has died and invites her to the funeral service. Percy must take her guilt and her fear and face Sam again. But what will she say? And will words make a difference?
While the story starts in the present, it quickly moves back to the beginning of Percy's time at Barry's Bay, and of the beginning of her relationship with the Florek brothers. We see them grow up, with all the teenage angst, the stilted communication when it comes to feelings, and the friendships that grew along with them.
Fortune brings these characters to life, and you can sense their insecurities and their fears as they take on adulthood. The reunion years later has lots of loaded emotions and years that neither of them shares with each other that they must catch up on. A book full of feeling.

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