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.

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.

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.

this was wonderful! a nice cross between the summer i turned pretty and love and other words. i really loved seeing the development of the two MC's relationships and while i did anticipate why they broke up in the past (because i am cynical and look for these sorts of problems lol) i did like the way this played out. although i do wish alex could have been a little bit angrier at percy because duuuuuuuuudeeeee you hooking up with girls in college does not equal your gf hooking up with your BROTHER. but whatever it was still very cute and can't wait to read more of the author's work!!

Wow. This book made me smile, laugh, fall in love and cry in one unforgettable read!

This is the story of Percy and Sam, and how two childhood best friends become so much more until one fateful event where everything implodes. Told in alternating timelines, Percy and Sam are brought back together in the small lakeside town where they grew up and fell in love. Will Percy be able to face the decisions she made a decade ago, that cost her the love of her life?

rating: 5 stars

I LOVED this debut novel by Carley Fortune. I will definitely be on the lookout for future books by the author!

Some tropes in this book:
Friends to lovers
Second chance romance
Alternating timelines
Summer vacation at the lake

Date published: May 10, 2022

I could not read this book fast enough, Percy and Sam are characters that will stay for me for a long time
The book begins when they first met at the age of 13 and it goes back and forth between each year and the present time.
I thought it was a great summer romance book

I loved this book. I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much!

This book is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren’s “Love and Other Words”. With similar themes, touching characters and a beautiful romance storyline with a touch of grief. I will say they’re *almost* too similar. Definitely don’t read back to back.

One thing I adored was the Canadian setting. As an Ontario native, the references to my university and town were such a fun touch!

I will 100% be picking up Carley’s next book, hopefully also set in Toronto!

A summer binge read is what this book is, once you start you will not be able to put this one down. Emotional, heartfelt, vulnerable intense, breathtaking read.
If you love a character-rich, emotionally evocative, BEAUTIFULLY written story that explores what love feels like, both good and bad, this is one you won’t want to miss!

At age 13, Percy’s family gets a cottage on a lake in Barry’s Bay. There she meets Sam and his brother Charlie. Their lives become intrinsically intertwined. Until Sam and Percy have a falling out. 12 years later, they haven’t spoken a word until Percy returns to Barry’s Bay for a funeral. Their connection is as it ever was, but will they be able to sift through 12 years to make it back to one another?

Rating Every Summer After was probably the most difficult decision I’ve had as far as rating books goes.

I loved the first 80% of this book. I loved Sam and Percy and everyone else in the book. I loved their story and their love. I love friends to lovers, I love that they met when they were kids. I love the concept of a second chance redemption. This book was such a recipe for success!!! And the writing is SO good, I love Carley Fortune’s writing. But I cannot forgive the last 20%. The twist ripped my heart out and stomped all over it and I can’t forgive Carley Fortune for that. I’m so angry that that’s the twist and I can’t get over it. I sat for like over an hour after finishing the book just so angry that I cried. And I tried to pretend it wasn’t real by reading the last 20% as fast as I could.

The three stars are only for the first 80% of the book, the last 20% gets zero stars. Genuinely unforgivable.

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune was a true delight to read. After my puppy woke me up at 4 am and I had trouble sleeping, I turned on my kindle to read an ARC and chose this one as I was headed later that day to a lake house and the description seemed fitting. I could not have been more grateful as this may be my favorite book of the summer, thus far.

Persephone or "Percy" finds herself neighboring to two boys as she visits her family's lake house each summer. As she matures, so does her relationships with Sam and Charlie. Their banter and playfulness were as charming as they were witty and I enjoyed reflecting on nostalgic memories growing up.

This book weaves a number of themes including friendship, love, family, sacrifice, reconciliation, perseverance, truth and longing.

It was wholesome, it was captivating, it was spicy. An excellent summer read to kick off the season.

I loved the flashbacks explaining the context of the current climate for the characters involved and was on the edge of my seat for the big reveal.

Brava!

Five stars, will highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada, Viking, for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Believe the hype! Dive into this easy read! My pleasant surprise was that it was set in Barry’s Bay, a short distance from my home. Our cottage country. Such a quintessential story of young love story relived following an adult reunion under unfortunate circumstances.

I have recommended this book to so many people already and will likely pick it up at least one more time this summer for a re-read because it’s such a classic summer read!

Dare I say movie material?

Every Summer After is the book of the season for me. This contemporary romance truly made me feel multiple feelings. When I say I felt it all I mean it. I was happy, angry, sad, content, heartbroken, and a little nostalgic to the peace and calm that cottage living brings as well as the relationships that form. This allowed such a connection to the characters. I am still baffled that this is a debut novel.

Every summer after is told in dual POV - then and now. The then is where the coming of age at a cottage in Northern Ontario, and intertwined it with the now which kept me turning the pages because I wanted to be immersed in Percy and Sams story. Love, family, friendship, coming of age, the emotions of growing both together and apart, and then ultimately forgiveness made for the perfect summer romance recipe. Oh and don’t forget the Canadian content! That was just perfect for me.

Although I totally have the ebook in galley, I had to go and get this to put on my shelf so that I can share the love of “Every Summer After.”

Thank you to Penguin Canada and Berkley Publishers for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had to sit on this one again and upon further reflection, I found it incredibly ironic how Carley Fortune mentions Christina Lauren and Jenny Han amongst her authors of inspiration when this book felt like a cheap copy of Christina Lauren's Love and Other words thrown in with Jenny Han's The Summer I Turned Pretty series. Some details were just too similar for comfort and I honestly didn't care for the message Percy as a character was trying to represent.

I absolutely loved this book, and read it in no time. It is extremely relatable for anyone who has a summer home or cottage, and having grown up in Toronto I felt epically connected to the storyline.
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Overall I loved it, and I highly recommend you head to the link in my bio to read my full review and see why this is a beach read you should pick up this summer. I loved the Canadian references and locations. This is THE PERFECT summer read.
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I reviewed this book for the Cloud Lake Literary website at: https://www.cloudlakeliterary.ca/blogposts/book-review-every-summer-after-by-carley-fortune

Well - the book of the summer fully delivered - I felt the sun, the water, the sunscreen and was totally there for the ice cream! I loved the bond between Percy and Sam. As a fellow Canadian I loved the subtle Jays, Timmies and Bay blanket references and the visual of cottage country - the quintessential summertime backdrop.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved how nostalgic this was. I loved how Canadian this was. I loved the setting (the lake), the unloveable-loveable characters, the dual time line. Just overall so so good… how is this a debut novel?! Mind boggling.

I would have read this one in 1-2 sittings if I weren’t so busy right now. I was in a book slump before this… and then found myself GETTING MAD at my obligations, because I had to put the book down and attend to real life 😂.

I was gifted an eARC of this book for review, and like an idiot, didn’t read it until after my preorder came in and I’m really kicking myself for not reading it sooner!! Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for granting me a copy regardless.

This WILL BE my staff pick at work the next time I’m in!!

This was an excellent summer read! The author delved into the characters past beautifully and with enough detail and context to really set the stage for the present day story line, pacing it all perfectly. It was an insightful and genuine story of two teens growing up together, told over the course of many summers, and you can't help but smile and feel as if you're sitting on the dock alongside them. The writing was fantastic, the plot moved along well and was strong and the characters memorable and lovable! One of my favourite reads of the year so far!

What an amazing read. Perfect for the beach or a hot summer day on the deck. I really felt like the relationship came off the page and the suspense was the perfect amount to make me never put it down. The drama and the heartbreak was off the charts and the reveal at the end was told at just the right time. Bring the Kleenex and clear your schedule for this one.

This is The Summer I Turned Pretty but for adults. And I loved it.

It's a friends-to-lovers, second chance romance which, if you know me, are my all-time favorite tropes.

The author created such atmosphere and chemistry and tension and I'm just so in awe of what she's written. It's a beautiful, beautiful book. Possibly my new favorite of 2022. Just stunning.

Splashy and sexy, but with a sincere emotional thread that connects the human heart to the story effortlessly. This debut will satisfy even the most reluctant romantics.