2.5 ~
MEET ME AT THE LAKE by Carley Fortune was a highly anticipated & most disappointing romance.
Before we continue, let the record show that I loved EVERY SUMMER AFTER (5⭐️).

𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧:
MMATL tells the story of Will & Fern. Fern meets Will when she is 22 and they spend 24 hrs together, during which Will takes her on a tour of Toronto (the tour was underwhelming) (I shouldn’t start critiquing the book here; we are talking about the plot) (but it was lame – Graffiti Alley, AGO, Sonic Boom Record Store, Kensington Market, Sneaky Dee’s…meh).
They promise to meet 1 yr later. Fern shows up but Will does not. 10 yrs after their initial meeting, Fern needs help and Will appears… *cue music*

𝗔𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘:
I know that greyhound station on Dundas at the beginning of the book. My favourite little hangout spot is across the street. I’ve spent a significant amount of time at Rex’s; at our favourite table in the corner and sipping gin & tonics on the patio in the summers.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:
The story did not work me. I did not believe in their love story so it was hard to root for them. In addition to the glaring “THEY ONLY KNEW EACH OTHER FOR ONE DAY” trope which is always a difficult one for me, he had a girlfriend & she had a boyfriend (of 4 years!) when they met & developed this so called “connection”. When I’m not on board with the romance, I get nit-picky — the writing started to sound corny and I started laughing at analogies that weren’t meant to be funny.

Further, they never really got to know each other as thirty-somethings. It really irked me when they would say “I know you” or “you know me” in the present day timeline. They knew each other for ONE day in the past & a few weeks in present. They were obsessed with the version of each other that they met (for ONE day) 10 yrs ago. It needed more of them getting to know each other in the present timeline.

The big secret & reason why Will didn’t show up 9 years ago was as underwhelming as his tour of Toronto.

Recommend to a friend? Sadly, I cannot.

PS: Her old boss gave someone her address. Why wouldn’t he just give that person her phone #? Somebody pls call the privacy law police! Make it make sense.

In their early 20’s Fern and Will spent 24 hours together. Sharing secrets and fears, their connection was undeniable.

They promised to meet one year later, a date Fern kept, but Will did not.

Ten years later they story continues when their paths cross again.


I, like many #bookstagrammers absolutely fell in Love with Carley Fortune’s debut novel ‘Every Summer After’.
I went into this book with high expectations and I was not disappointed.
I loved the dynamic between Will and Fern, I did think maybe their relationship moved a little quickly considering the bad blood that would have been there, but I’m the end I was all about this love story.

Carley Fortune is officially on my autobuy author list!

3.75

Carley summer romances are top-tier and having them in a Canadian setting makes them even better. I really enjoyed the first 80% of the book so much because the summer vibes were there and it was super engaging. But the last 20% was a little harder to get through mainly because I think I was over the past POV ( which is a me problem).

Didn’t really enjoy this one as much as every summer after but I would still recommend for a quick and easy summer read.

Meet Me At The Lake was unknowingly appropriate for pre-Mother's Day reading.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada for my eARC for review.
Fern Brookbanks returns to her family's Muskoka resort after the sudden death of her beloved mother, Maggie. Like so many moms and daughters, their relationship was a complicated one.
It also brings Fern back in contact with Will Baxter, a business advisor hired by her mother, who Fern met 10 years earlier when he was an aspiring artist.
Carley Fortune's latest is a love letter to summer, to Toronto and Muskoka, to Canadiana (Alanis and Jann, anyone?) and to the dreams of youth. It's also about finding your way in romance, following your passions, and a new oneness as a motherless daughter.
Fortune creates characters that are relatable and feel real, and this is a fantastic follow-up to her first novel, Every Summer After.
I highly recommend both!
Released on May 2.

Love her Canadian lakeside romances.
Will sounds like a total dreamboat but the book could have also taken another turn and had her and Jaime reunite because he also doesn’t sound so bad himself!
Something about her writing is just cozy and puts you right there with the characters. Carley is 2 for 2 for me so far!

I absolutely loved this book, much like her first title. I devoured it in two days and couldn't put it down, as a book seller I speak about this at every opportunity that I have. I really enjoy getting to know the characters and the way the author writes descriptive. I feel like the story is told from a friend's perspective.

3.75/5 stars (Marissa)


After the sudden death of her mother, Fern has to make the difficult decision whether she should step into her mom’s shoes and run their family’s Muskoka resort or sell it to live out her dream of owning her own cafe in Toronto. A few weeks into trying to keep the resort afloat, the consultant her mother hired prior to her death arrives for his 6 week stay and he just so happens to be Will. The same Will who Fern spent an unforgettable day with eleven years ago. The same Will who promised to meet her at the lake but never showed.

The beginning 1/3rd of the book gave the impression that Fortune was trying to re-create the natural magic of Every Summer After. There were too many similarities between the two books that left me disappointed (2/3 of us put the book on hiatus at this point in the story). I was SO excited for this novel and it left me a little salty because it felt like a remake of ESA instead of a brand new story.

Leaving my fellow TLB sisters behind, I trudged through the story in hopes that it would get better. And you know what? It did. It was sweet, romantic, and made me wish for summer nights at my cottage.

Check out this book if you like:
Every Summer After (book)
Dirty Dancing (movie)
Romantic summer reads

Can’t wait to see what Carley Fortune comes out with next

Fortune's writing has a captivating quality that can deceive readers into believing in a romance that seems too good to be true. Meet Me at the Lake is a second chance romance following Fern and Will, who meet by chance at her coffee shop she works at, only to reconnect ten years later at the resort where she grew up. The characters are relatable and genuine, and I found myself rooting for them throughout the story. While certain elements of the plot require a suspension of disbelief, I was still engaged with the narrative from start to finish, despite occasional plot lines that were impractical and dreamlike. The conclusion ties up loose ends nicely, making for a satisfying read if you aren't looking for anything to make you think.

Thank you, Penguin Random House Canada, for an e-arc of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Meet Me at The Lake is the quintessential summer read for Canadians this cottage season.

At 32, Fern’s life is turned upside down when she inherits the family’s Lakeside Muskoka Resort after her mother’s sudden passing. While deciding if she’s going to uproot her Toronto life or sell the resort, in walks someone she thought she’d never see again. Will Baxter. The man she spent 24 hours in Toronto with ten years ago and has not stopped thinking about since. The one who promised to show up at the lake one year after they met and then never did.

Carly Fortune wrote an entertaining summery second-chance romance with a past and present timeline. I loved the little Canadian touches and the Toronto and Huntsville references. My favourite aspect of the storyline was Fern’s personal growth, her deciding what the resort means to her and her emotional journey with grief.

Where this book fell flat for me is that I never felt like the relationship had any grounds to stand on. The past timeline felt like instant love, and the present timeline relied on the connection they created in the past. It didn’t feel like the characters knew each other enough to sell the relationship. I thought their actions were hard to justify and didn’t really make sense with the information we were given about them.

All that being said, I would still recommend this one if you’re looking for a vacation read.

I, like everyone else I know, really enjoyed Carley's debut novel Every Summer After, so I knew I had to read this one as well. The story takes place over two timelines 10 years ago in Toronto and present timeline at a resort outside Muskoka. We follow the story of Fern who has lost her mom, and had the management of the resort she owned thrust upon her. She has to decide if she's going to sell the property and follow her dreams of opening a coffee shop in the city, or takeover where her mother left off and find a way to make the resort financially stable again. If that wasn't enough she finds out her mom hired a consultant who just so happens to have history with Fern.
Let me start with the things that I loved. first of all the cover is absolutely beautiful. I love the colours and it really transports you to a beautiful lakeside resort. I also love how unabashedly Canadian all the references are. These are places that I've been to and have fond memories of (extra points for the PEI reference since I was born and raised on the island)
I actually enjoyed the story and characters (especially Will) but I found Fern was a bit too much at times. I think I just couldn't empathize with her as much as characters in Carley's other book. I also think after a bit I didn't want to bounce around in the timeline as I was more invested in what was happening in the present. I also expected more of a reveal from the mother's journals as they were referenced so much. Overall the story is good, quick to read and I think a lot of people will enjoy this one!

oved this so much!
Fern is 32 and her life isn't going how she thought it would. She finds herself back at her family's resort running it after her mother's tragic death. Running the resort was something she never wanted. Shockingly the one who got away. Will Baxter shows up and throws another wrench in her plans. Can she trust him and open her heart to him again?

Carley is becoming a fav author for me. I can't wait till her next book!

Happy release day to Carley Fortune's second book! I was ecstatic to receive an ARC of this after loving Every Summer After.

I loved the Muskoka and Toronto settings in this book and think that world building and settings are truly Fortune's strength as a writer. As a resident of Toronto I thought some of the exposition was a little much (I have never heard University students say Toronto Transit Commission in place of TTC) but I appreciate that this is intended for an international audience who might not be as familiar with the Group of Seven, Tom Thomson's mysterious death, the AGO renovations, Graffiti Alley, etc.

I really enjoyed the exploration of a mother-daughter relationship, but thought that diary entries made the reading experience a little clunky, because it meant the story switched between past, present, and diary entries. I think that the dual timeline was enough to keep track of and the diary entries slowed the pacing down.

This book is very similar to Every Summer After with similar tropes of second chance/dual timelines, miscommunication, and infidelity. Since the settings were so similar between the two books, I wish that the structure or tropes had differed a little more.

That being said, I did really enjoy the experience of reading this book and escaping to a Muskoka resort for the summer. In the future I would love to see Fortune explore different tropes in her beautiful Ontario settings.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ .5/5
🌶 🌶 🌶 /5

I have been so excited for this book since I read Carley's first book. This book follows a similar premise with two timelines ten years apart. One exploring how Fern and Will met and then the present day where they find each other together again. One of my favourite things about Carley's books is that they take place in cities and areas that I have lived and visited which adds so much for me.

I really liked Fern. She struggled so much to find herself and follow her dreams only to have her world turned upside-down. I loved how she had so much support around her from all the different people at her mothers resorts. I loved her strength and how she desperately tried to work through her emotions surrounding so much of her life and decisions.

Will I struggled with more. I liked his past self but found him frustrating in the present story. While I understood a certain level of his struggles I found that his expectations of Fern and the way he treated her to just be horrible.

It made no sense to me that Fern had to be the one to fight so hard for him after he continually treated her so badly and let her down. The fact that she also had to do this while being crushed by the grief of her mothers death to me was unforgivable. I get that they were in love but Will was toxic and the fact that his sister seemed to blame Fern for upsetting him after he abandoned her yet again was awful for me.

Otherwise, the settings were beautiful and it made me so excited for the summer to come. This book would be a good cottage read while sitting by the water.

[Absolutely LOVED it]

This was a perfect book to read outside in the sun. The writing was amazing as always, so easy to fall into the story. I loved the characters and how very real they felt while reading this book. The dual timeline was a highlight for me, I loved both so much. The ending left me wanting more but overall this book was very much enjoyable! Highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for providing a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Meet Me At The Lake, Carly Fortune

Welcome back to the lake! Fortune is back and just in time for summer! After her smash debut, Every Summer After, Fortune’s follow up is Meet Me At Thé Lake hit all the right notes for a summer time smash!

With a dual time, we get to know Fern and Will. They meet one day in June in the 90’s and spend an unforgettable and life alternating day exploring hidden gems in Toronto and baring their most vulnerable selves. The next morning they separate vowing to meet up on this day in 1 years time. Except a year later, Will doesn’t show up. And Fern has spent the last 10 years thinking about him - the last 9 ruminating on why he didn’t appear. Fast forward 10 years later and the two come together and both must face what was, what could have been and what might now be.

I devoured this book in 24 hours. The setting was ideal & the characters were charming. I was totally invested in their story!

Honestly, this is the book of summer 2023!

Thank you so much to the publishers and NetGalley for my advanced copy!!

Imagine spending a perfect day with someone, and then you don't see them again for 10 years. Will the magic still be there? Was that single night a fluke? Fern and Will have this experience; it is life-changing, and very well illustrates the right partner, right time concept. It wasn't their right time and now it is. I loved every part of this book: the British Columbia references (since that's where I live), the mental health representation, the grief journey, the love story. Highly recommending this one.

Well I thought Every Summer After Was a great book then this one I found I loved even more. Carley Fortune has become one of my favourite authors. She weaves a story so beautifully, in and out of timelines showing us real emotion that jumps off the pages. I could not put this book down…..I know it will be a bestseller . It’s the type of book you just want to curl up with and not put down until you have finished reading and even then you wish it would continue. I love that she is Canadian and writes about places I know of or have been to, her description of the AGO was just how I felt walking around in that gallery . Grab a copy and lose yourself in this beautiful intense and emotional journey of Fern and Will.

I voluntarily received a free copy from NetGalkey and all opinions are my own . I would definitely recommend this book to all my friends, family and book clubs .

I really liked this book. I got invested in the story right away and everything just flowed together so well you barely realize how much you're actually reading. The dual timeline was also well done. It wasn't too aggressive in the sense that you alternate timelines every chapter or even mid chapter and I also felt like the second timeline really benefited the story and the character development/relationship.

For me this story is about finding yourself through a defined path. It's about finding what you really want for yourself and who you are as a person. It's about how plans can change and something you never thought you'd want can become something you would do anything for. I loved how it showed that you as a person, your life, what you want is just as important as responsibilities or what's expected.

I connected more with Fern as a character than I did with Will. I liked how we saw her develop and shift from I am pleasing everyone even though I don't want to do this to I am doing what I think is best for me to finding herself and what she really wants despite saying she would never be a certain way. It really shows the reality of how someone can change throughout the years.

I definitely enjoyed this story and it went by very quickly. It was the perfect quick summer read.

Ok. My question is ‘How fast can Carley Fortune write another book?’
I loved her previous book and I love this one even more. Set in cottage county in Ontario is a picturesque resort that Fern is expected to run someday. Trouble is - she doesn’t want to. After randomly meeting Will and spending a day with him she does some soul searching about her path in life. Will has had an impactful effect on her and she can’t quit thinking about him although he did ghost their planned meet up one year later. Then Will unexpectedly walks back into her life ten years later. The book is told in past and present and this really rounds out the story. The characters are wonderful and I loved the dialogue. What secrets does enigmatic Will hide and will he stick around for Fern to find out? Their relationship is captivating and they slowly grow closer. The question is whether or not Will will mysteriously disappear again. I loved the setting, characters, and the writing! Definitely add this one to your summer reading list.

Told in a past and present format, Fern Brookbanks returns in the present day to her family’s summer resort in the Muskokas that she has suddenly inherited after her mother’s untimely death. Never expecting (or wanting) this responsibility, Fern struggles with familiarizing herself with the resort's struggling finances, learning to manage a staff, and being the face of the resort to guests, all in the midst of her grief and wanting to return to her own life and career in Toronto. Enter Will Baxter, a consultant her mother hired before her death to help sort out the resort’s finances.
Will is a familiar face to Fern. Ten years ago on a long and hot summer day in Toronto, they spent 24 hours together developing an intense connection that both of them acknowledged could be something real. Each of them had previous commitments to tend to and they agreed to meet in one year at Fern’s family resort. Except a year later, Will doesn’t show up and Fern is left waiting on the dock heartbroken. Seeing him now in the midst of her grief over her mother and struggling to run the resort is all too much for Fern.

—-----------------------------------
I went into Meet Me at the Lake with high hopes (Every Summer After was just simply phenomenal) and wasn’t disappointed. While the story wasn’t as crisp and poignant as Fortune’s first book, it delivers a healthy dose of Canadianism, summer nostalgia, heavy feelings, and the promise of a second chance at love. Growing up attending summer camp in Huntsville I could almost feel the rocky paths under my feet and smell the pine and lake scent in the air throughout the novel. Fortune does such an amazing job putting the reader right into the feel of a Dirty Dancing-style summer family resort. I loved the mentions of Louise Penny books on the shelf, Canada Day fireworks, Jann Arden, Weber’s burgers (an institution you have to stop at on the drive there!).
This story is told in three parts- the past, the 24 hours Fern and Will spent together ten years ago, the present at the resort where Fern and Will meet again as adults, and through diary entries of Fern’s mother as a young adult. The diary entries served their purpose but it felt choppy at times. I can see why they were included but at times it took away from the main story. I won’t get into Will’s reasons for not showing up at the resort all those years ago, because you just need to read it for yourself. The explanation was beautiful and sad and perfect. Will was a beautiful soul. The “book discussion” section at the end of the book includes a piece by Fortune that says “We all make mistakes. We experience trauma and loss and plain old bad days. We all fly, face-first, onto loose gravel. But with any luck, someone stands beside us, reaching out their hand.” I think that sums up Fern and Will.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of Meet Me at the Lake in exchange for an honest review.