Sometimes life works in mysterious ways. Maybe you’ve spent your entire adult life trying to get out of your hometown, only to end up right back where you started. Or maybe you meet someone special and lose touch, only to reconnect with them many years later. Both of these statements are true for Fern Brookbanks, the protagonist in Carley Fortune’s sophomore novel, “Meet Me at the Lake.”

Fern spent a magical 24 hours with Will Baxter in her early twenties, traveling around Toronto and sharing secrets, and was left heartbroken after they promised to meet again in a year and he never showed up. Now, a decade later, Fern is back home and running her family’s lakeside resort — the one thing she’s spent her life trying to escape — and when she’s looking to rebrand, unbeknownst to her, Will is the one brought on to consult. Told in dual timelines, the book follows Fern as she comes to terms with her mother’s death and falls for Will once again.

At the time of writing, “Meet Me at the Lake” sits at #10 on the New York Times bestseller list, and it’s easy to see why. The lakeside resort setting is straight out of “Dirty Dancing” — and the characters all know it, considering that some of them refer to Fern as “Baby.” The chemistry between Fern and Will is electric, and the dual timelines add a satisfying tension to everything that happens in the present. It has both of these aspects in common with Fortune’s debut novel, “Every Summer After,” which is a bestseller as well. I’ve coined the term “lake read” to describe both of Fortune’s works: It’s like a beach read in that it’s perfect for vacation, but also somehow captures the more mellow, secluded vibe of being up north. As someone who spent every summer at my family’s cottage, you’ll just have to trust me on this.


“Meet Me at the Lake” is of course a romance novel, but one of Fortune’s strengths is the relationships that Will and Fern have with other characters, and how those relationships inform their own development as people and partners. The manager of the resort is Fern’s ex-boyfriend, Jamie, and they make a good team despite their history. Will lives with his sister Annabel and niece Sofia; he tells Fern that the priority he gives to taking care of his family has been a strain for past girlfriends (I see it as a massive green flag, but to each their own).

Perhaps the most important relationship is that between Fern and her mother, Maggie. Though she is rarely physically present in the book, Maggie is still personified through her journal entries, which act as interludes to some of the chapters. The journals give insight not just into Maggie as a character, but also let us see Fern’s relationship with her mother at different points, both as a younger girl who wants to make her own way, and later as a woman who is reevaluating her life after losing her family. These choices add several layers to the story and are a great way to characterize a romantic lead that isn’t simply given “mommy issues” for extra drama. I only wish that it took less than a hundred pages before these entries start appearing regularly.

In terms of the romance, Fern and Will get off to a rocky start after reuniting, but their walls come down easily. As a fan of the “second chance romance,” I knew I was in for a good time before I even cracked open the cover. Fern is afraid to let herself really fall for Will at first, and understandably so — what if she gets her heart broken a second time? It’s the age-old question with this beloved trope. But Will understands Fern on a deeper level. He’s there for her as she processes her grief and encourages her to take control of her future, however she wants it to look. He certainly makes up for not showing up at the lake all those years ago.

Daily Arts Writer Hannah Carapellotti can be reached at hmcarp@umich.edu.

4/5 stars. Every Summer After was a 5 star read for me Meet Me At the Lake wasn't the same. It was good and I had a really fun time reading it, but it wasn't amazing and it definitely didn't make me tear up like I did for Every Summer After.

The good: It felt like I was watching a Lifetime movie and sometimes you just need a bingeable romance novel (or Lifetime movie) to fall into. This was just that.

The not so great: How does Fern stay "in love" with Will for 10 years? It just seemed very "insta love" and I found myself having a hard time connecting to both of them separately and as a couple. I think Fern could've done better than Will but the ending redeemed his character a little bit.

Overall, this was a quick and somewhat light romance read.

I really enjoyed the author's debut book and props to her for once again making my heart fill with such emotion while reading this.
Our main character Fern Brookbanks has met Wil Baxter ten years ago when he was hired to do some painting at her coffee shop. She is convinced he is her soul mate after spending just 24 hours with him and not seeing again for ten years. A chance meeting at her mother's lodge has him checking in there to do some work for her mother. Fern is shocked to see him there and the past ten years she has spent entirely too many hours dreaming about him. The author has my emotions ever changing in this one. At first I was mad at Wil and going away all those years ago with no explanation. As we find out slowly, Wil's backstory he does have a reason but I still think he should have told her at the time.
I think we all love second chance romances. They both have a lot of baggage they're carrying; her mother has recently passed, and she is trying to run the lodge living up to her mother's high standards. He also has had a lot of family complications and obligations he's trying to fulfill. The summer is young, the lake is cool, and this heartbreaking emotional book may be just what you need for your next lakeside read.

Pub Date 02 May 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

After last year's book, "Every Summer After", I could not wait to read "Meet Me at the Lake". It did not disappoint. What an entertaining read- perfect for summer. Be sure to add it to your beach bag!!
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this great story!

A beautiful back & forth of a romance that could have been. What would you do if you had one day & one day only with someone who excites you more than anyone else ever has? You live it to its potential & make a promise to meet again in exactly one year at the lake. So much can happen in one year… & then it turns into several years and your lives have become planets orbiting in separate universes.

I love Carley Fortune’s ability to write with emotional depth that keeps you connected to the story. She blew me away with her debut & has done it again with this follow up.

Once again, absolutely loved this Carley Fortune book! I think she writes great characters that have interesting back stories but also grow and evolve throughout the story. I loved the back and forth of the flashback chapters to present day. Fortune did a great job giving all the details possible from that one day to slowly make me understand more and more about Fern's feelings now. It was such an intriguing story of reflecting and understanding one's past while figuring out what to do in the present.
All in all, this story shows the importance of all relationships (friends, parents, siblings) and how we all change and grow over time. It doesn't make you a failure if you're not doing what you thought you would over 10 years ago.
I cannot wait for Fortune's next book!

Meet Me at the Lake is a summer second-chance romance between Fern and Will, who met for one single day 10 years before the events of the book. Moving between present and that fateful day in the past, we see Fern and Will grappling with the course of their life and how much control they have over getting what they really want.

If you like a Dirty-Dancing-esque resort (and plenty of references to the 80s film), you will enjoy the lake setting. However, I was not as compelled to turn pages in this one as I was in Fortune's debut, Every Summer After. What Fortune managed to do in that novel was make the summer come alive and the characters brim with longing. I felt that certain plot points were contrived only to keep the couple apart, rather than in an attempt to tell a realistic story. Fern's dilemma of having to take over the resort from her mother is resolved before the second half of the book, leaving only the old miscommunication/ we don't have each other's numbers trope left.

While the book was overall enjoyable and will be familiar to romance fans, it did not feel like jumping into the lake on a hot summer day.

Oh how I adored this!!! The setting (both Brookbanks Resort and the city)!!! The chemistry!!! The family bonds and how family doesn’t have to be related by blood!!!

My only complaint is that the ending felt rushed. So much truth came out in the last 20 pages, and I wish it had spaced throughout the book instead.

This was such a sweet summer read.

This one hit so close to home kinda - where it deals with that “what if” with your “almost lover”. Like I devoured in 24 hours because amazing, but it put me into a huuuuuge reading slump and I couldn’t touch a book for 2 weeks.

This follows Fern, who is working on taking over the family business after her mother’s sudden death. While trying to go into the flow of the business, she runs into the guy she waited for 10 years previously, Will Baxter. After one day where they just CONNECTED and vibed, they agreed to meet a year later at the lake on her family’s resort property. Except… he never showed.

Now, in the present, he’s at the resort to help Fern’s mother with the resort because business is declining. Fern has to decide if she’s going to keep the resort, while trying to figure out why Will never showed and what he’s keeping a secret from her.

This book has dual timelines and it just. It hurt me so good. Such an easy 5 stars for me, but I think it’s due to the personal emotions it managed to pull from me. I’m all for a book that can destroy me from head to toe.

Ten years ago, Will and Fern met, connected big time, and spent a memorable day together. They made plans to meet in the future. When that time came, Will ghosted Fern. Now he’s back in Fern’s world, offering no reason for his disappearance. The chemistry is still there, but no immediate revelation about what had happened. Bits and pieces about his life are revealed as they work together to save Fern’s resort. Over the summer, Fern develops more self-awareness concerning what she wants in life and how that has changed over time. The story effectively alternates between their past and the present. It’s well-written, has decent main and supporting characters and the resort setting is interesting. A very enjoyable romance and story of self-discovery.

I liked both of the main characters, and the pacing of the story as it gave us glimpses into the past as well as the current time.

It's a book about duty, family, alternate possibilities, love and our best-laid plans.

Fern Brookbanks and Will Baxter spend a perfect day together. The circumstances aren't right for anything more, but they make a pact to meet one year later—only Will doesn't show up.

Years later Will comes back into Ferns life to help turn her family's struggling resort business around. Fern doesn't know what she wants, but she certainly isn't about to trust the man who stood her up back then, especially not when it's clear he's hiding something from her.

Carly Fortune is becoming a comfort romance author for me! Her second book delivered that same Canadian summer charm, and I had such a great time reading this. This book has everything I look for in a romance. There are two people with amazing romantic chemistry, there's love that feels beautiful and important, and it's heart wrenching and fun. While it does have some cliched romantic banter that is not my favorite, it doesn't take away from the fact that this is a fantastic summer romance read. I can't wait to read more from Carly Fortune.

💕MEET ME AT THE LAKE REVIEW💕

rating: 3.5⭐️
genre: contemporary romance
read this if you liked: People We Meet on Vacation or November 9

Fern and Will spent a whirlwind day together ten years ago. Fern is now working at her family’s lakeside resort after her mother’s recent passing. When Will shows up she’s both confused and taken back to that fateful day all those years ago. But his guarded personality and businessman exterior are nothing like the Will she experienced back then. Is it possible the spark is still there or has too much time passed? Regardless Fern needs Will’s business help with the resort, but maybe she needs more too…

After reading Carley’s incredibly popular debut, Every Summer After, last year I was so excited to get my hands on her latest book. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. I normally love a second chance romance trope, but I have learned that the “met once, fell in love” rendezvous is just *not* it for me. Immediately it felt so unbelievable and that continued through the book as their chemistry was really lackluster. Fern was willing to give so much while Will was guarded with off-putting behavior. I kept wanting something… anything to happen between the two. It felt more character driven with less romance elements. Was hoping for my angst and nostalgia between them. It was… fine but underwhelming! I’ll certainly read her next book though.

*spoilers included in the end*
Many thanks to Berkley Romance for the e-ARC in exchange of an honest review! When I read Every Summer After last year, I enjoyed reading it A LOT for the first 80 percent. But the last 20 percent completely ruined the book for me. My experience with Meet Me At The Lake is kind of similar as well.

Let's start with the things I liked! Carley Fortune knows how to capture the summer vibes in a book perfectly! The resort setting in MMATL was really charming ~ and I loved getting transported to the location through the author's words. I loved Fern's relationship with her mom, and how she grew with the help of her mom even after her death. The diary entries made me so emotional!

Now, the thing is ~ for the last 30/40 percent or so, the book was just. Plain boring! I just kept reading to see how Fern and Will's relationship would turn out. Their dynamic seemed really unrealistic as they met 10 years back for ONCE and realized they LOVED each other? Personally, I couldn't see any chemistry between them. 😭 The last few chapters could have been packed up without some unnecessary moments tbh. But I loved the representation of anxiety through Will's characterization. I wish they were more open with each other though

*SPOILERS*
There was a lot of emotional cheating involved in the book, and it just made me really uncomfortable. If cheating is a theme that Carley Fortune will follow in all of her books, I don't think I'll ever completely enjoy her books ~ which is so sad because her writing style is so beautiful.

3/5 overall!

I seem to be in the minority amongst my bookish friends in that I loved this book just as much as Carley Fortune's first one. I just really enjoy her writing style and I appreciate that her characters are flawed but not irredeemable. I think she does the alternating timelines really well and she's not afraid to tackle some heavy topics without leaving me feeling dragged down while reading. For a brief moment I wished that I had more from Will's perspective about what he went through and why it had such an effect on him but after reading the author's notes I completely understand and agree that sometimes we just don't need every excruciating detail of someone's trauma in order to understand their motivations. I fully recommend this book to anyone who doesn't mind a slow-burn, kind of insta-lovey, second chance story where romance isn't the sole focus of the story.

*I received an early copy from NetGalley for voluntary, honest review

I received this book for free through netgalley for an honest review. Sweet and predictable rom com, exactly what I wanted. I love the way the main characters met, I love “the plan” to meet up in a year, but sadly one doesn’t show up. 10 years after they meet, they finally see each other again. What transpires as they are working together is sweet and loving! A cute read for sure.

I went into this one hoping it wasn’t going to be completely the same as Every Summer After given the similarity in concept and appearance of the book. Yes, the concept (time gap) and storytelling style (alternating chapters) are similar to ESA, but I still found this book to be unique in its content.

As mentioned, this book follows the same style as Every Summer After, where chapters alternate between past and present. The major difference is that it adds a third storyline with Fern’s (FMC) mother’s diaries.

Will and Fern’s story was interesting enough. However, some of the nuances of Will’s character were what I found to be more engaging. If you read the author’s essay following the book, you also get additional context that gives a better understanding of the experiences that shaped this character.

I’m not sure if it was intentional by the author but I felt like the “mystery” behind Will was predictable pretty early on. I felt like I guessed that entire part of the novel from the beginning, so there wasn’t much of an effect when he finally told Fern the truth. That being said, this “reveal” isn’t as big a part of the plot like we saw in ESA. I think those who weren’t happy with the twist in ESA might like this one better.

I mostly relied on audio for this one even though I had both and I think this helped me get through the book pretty quickly. The narration was enjoyable and I felt like it suited the characters.

4⭐️
2🌶

Meet Me at the Lake is a warm summer night and a deep breath by the water at sunset. It is an empathetic story of love, loss, growing up, and forging one's own path. After reading Every Summer After, I knew I needed more of Carley Fortune's summertime magic and being transported to Muskoka with Fern didn't disappoint. If you've ever spent your summers at the lake and found yourself missing your lake family in the off-season, you'll feel right at home at Brookbanks resort.

This book is beautiful and emotional, and it is easy to cheer for all of the love you encounter in these pages over the years, whether it's between MCs or for their families and friends. Will and Fern make a wonderful, supportive, perfectly flawed pair and I love their story, even though so many parts of it made my heart ache.

The way relationships are described and how they unravel in this story really resonated with me. I love a story that can express what it's like to navigate a difficult relationships, like a tough one with a parent or one in an unfulfilling partnership. I think Carley Fortune did a great job showcasing that sometimes we find our way to the right person at both the right AND wrong time. And if it has ever happened to you, you know just what I mean.

Not every love story is a perfect unwinding of fate, but when we let love guide our story, we somehow wind up right where we're meant to be. And sometimes you find yourself at the lake.

**Thank you to Berkley, Carley Fortune, and NetGalley for a copy of Meet Me at the Lake in exchange for my honest review!**

I went in this with high expectations after Carley's first book and while I found that this was a little slow to start, it ended up picking up speed about halfway through and then suddenly I couldn't put it down.

I have read Carley Fortune's books before, so I was a bit excited to read her newest release, Meet Me at the Lake. Just from looking at the book cover, it looks like a perfect summer romance read.
I have disappointed a few readers, but I did not enjoy reading this book as much as I thought I would. I truly thought that I would have loved it, but it was one of the romance tropes that I hate in books. I am going to spoil it for you because you need to know. But be warned if you don’t want spoilers.
This book has a cheating trope in it. Even though people will argue that it was emotional, it’s still cheating. Both of these characters are not innocent in their relationships at all. I truly wished that the cheating trope wasn’t part of the story because I would have enjoyed this romance story. But it just took away any kindness I had for these characters. I couldn’t really root for them. I wanted them to act better because they aren’t young anymore. They are adults dealing with major issues.
Besides that annoying romance trope, I like how the author dealt with the main character's grief. You can read about the main character's different stages while she processes her mother's death. It’s something that you can’t really explain; it’s just something you can relate to or read about.