Our girl is BACK and I think this may be my favorite by @carleyfortune

Thank you so much @berkleyromance and @prhaudio for the #gifted early reading and listening copies!

When I read Every Summer After I was VERY intrigued by Charlie and I am so HAPPY we get to know him in this one. You get to know Alice too and boy are you in for a treat!

This will definitely be one of THE romances of the summer. You get to go back to Barry’s Bay and you are going to swoon over Alice and Charlie’s story. Summer magic is in the air, there’s banter and some angsty moments, and a tree house I want to live in!

You also get to see Percy and Sam again and I LOVED that too! {If you haven’t read Every Summer After, I highly recommend you do before reading this one.} I also really, really loved Nan and honestly, Alice’s sister Heather too, even though she drove me a little nuts at first.

I really enjoyed AJ Bridel’s narration of this one! Definitely brought the story to life!

Add this one to your beach bag, lake bag, travel bag this summer! You are really going to love it!

One Golden Summer by @carleyfortune ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thanks to @berkleyromance for the free eARC via @netgalley and to @prhaudio for the free ALC.

Carley Fortune’s books just keep getting better! This one had me feeling all the summer vibes. Oh to have a house by the lake to retreat to for a few months!

Fans of Every Summer After, Fortune’s debut, will enjoy returning to Barry’s Bay and getting to follow Charlie to his HEA. But this story is told through Alice’s POV, a struggling photographer who returns to Barry’s Bay to help her grandmother recover from hip surgery. Alice has happy memories of the one summer she spent at the lake as a teen and is looking forward to the time away to allow herself some of the fun she never did as a kid. What she doesn’t count on is meeting the flirtatious self assured Charlie, much less falling for him.

Because the story is told through Alice’s POV I think it would be fine to read it as a standalone if you haven’t read ESA. In fact, the experience might be better given that we know things about Charlie and his family from the book that Alice doesn’t, so some of the twists that come up may catch you more by surprise.

Either way, this is a super fun summer read. I loved the chemistry between Charlie and Alice, the relationship they have with Alice’s grandma, the summer bucket list trope, and how Alice is able to gain back her confidence.

The last act had me in tears and I think hit hard for me because of how close it comes to some personal struggles of my own recently, adding just enough drama for the reader to remember life comes with challenges summers at the lake help us forget, but eventually we do have to confront them.

One Golden Summer should be at the top of your summer romance TBR. It’s Fortune’s best yet ❤️.

This book was everything I needed and more. Every Summer After completely changed my life and in my opinion this continuation to the story is just as good as the first one.

I always had a soft spot for Charlie and getting to read about his story was an incredible experience for me. It brought me back to when I first read Every Summer After and brought so much nostalgia. Not to be dramatic but it’s books like these that truly remind me why I love reading.

The book is told from Alice’s pov who spent one summer at the lake when she was seventeen, where she discovered her love for photography. Now, she’s a professional photographer who is struggling to find her spark again. After she finds a photo she took that summer at the lake, she decides to go with her Nan back to Barry’s Bay for a summer that ultimately changes her life.

Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for this advanced copy of the book!

One Golden Summer
By: Carley Fortune
4.5 stars

If you know me, you know that Mrs. Fortune and I have not always had a great history when it comes to her books. I usually rate her in the 3-3.5 range and find problematic things that just rub me the wrong way. Knowing that this was Charlies book had me intrigued to say the least. After his actions in Every Summer After, I truly had so much hatred in my heart for him. I am so glad I took the chance on this and read his book because I found a new level of love and understanding for Charlie.

Seeing Charlie back at Barry’s Bay as a 35 year old man really opened my eyes to everything he was going through during the events of ESA. He lost his father suddenly at the age of 14, forcing him to become the man of the family on top of dealing with grief and his teenage years. I found myself forgiving him. Seeing him interact with Sam and Percy with their cameos in the books was healing for me. The Charlie in this book was kind, caring, and just really accountable for his actions in all aspects.

Meeting Alice, our FMC, I was instantly taken by her. Her love for photography sparked when she was 17 at Barry’s Bay for the summer with her grandmother and grandfather when she took a photo of 3 kids on a golden yellow boat. She’s now a full time photographer but finding herself no longer connecting with her assignments. Everyone in her life is moving on or just charging head first while she’s picking up the pieces of a failed 4 year relationship and in turmoil with her life. When her grandmother falls and requires hip surgery, she decides to take her back to Barry’s Bay for a few months to relive the glory days of summer on the lake.

Alice was the perfect match for Charlie! Their entire meet-cute, their banter, their chemistry! Their slow burn, friends to lovers was just EVERYTHING! Alice feels like a whole new person whenever she is with Charlie. She feels alive again. Charlie goes out of his way to help Alice’s grandma, from taking her to chorus lessons and bingo, to bringing her scotch, and helping her with her rehab for her hip. He showed us a new side of him that gave the infamous playboy a new light. Dare I say, someone Alice can find a life with? While both Alice and Charlie agree to just be friends this summer, their sparks are flying and despite trying to maintain boundaries, these two are like magnets.

Alice’s journey to self discovery was beautiful to watch. Charlie completely melted my heart with his charm, witty banter, and undeniable presence. I only rated this 4.5 instead of 5 stars because of the twist at the end. While I knew something was going on with the hints throughout the book, I really could have just throttled Charlie for being such an idiot when someone like Alice was right there! Waiting for Charlies story was worth the wait and is undeniably my favorite story by her yet.

Thank you Berkely for this eARC and PRH Audio for the ALC!

Carley Fortune is doing for lovely Canadian settings what Elin Hilderbrand did for Nantucket, and I'm here for any other sweet, swoony, summery story she wants to write next. Funny, deeply emotional, and romantic, this has great characters (including, of course, previous characters from the author's books living their happily ever afters) with excellent chemistry and a connection that grows authentically.

I read the ARC of One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune and I had a really good time with this book. Our female main character, Alice Everly is going back to the lake where she spent her 17th summer to spend a couple months taking care of her grandmother as she recovers from hip replacement surgery. Alice is a photographer and a few months ago she was dumped by her boyfriend of four years because he didn't know how to make her happy. Alice and Nan, her grandmother, soon meet Charlie who is looking after the house for John, the owner, and getting the house ready for Nan with her walker so she won't trip and fall. Pretty soon sparks are flying between Alice and Charlie. But, it's complicated. Alice is afraid of all the things she has never done so she makes a bucket list for the summer, and Charlie is haunted by all the things he has already done, plus something else he won't talk about. I loved the story, the banter, the relationship. I had a really good time reading this book and I recommend One Golden Summer! Thank you to Berkley Publishing and Net Galley for my arc.

One Golden Summer is perfect for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty. This is for an adult audience and is enjoyable for an older audience. I absolutely love this series and would love to interview Carley for my podcast, Raise Your Words. I have interviewed authors Ally Carter, Annika Sharma, Priyanka Taslim, Iman Hariri-Kia, and others on my podcast Raise Your Words.

one golden summer by @carleyfortune 🌊🫶🏻

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“it’s not the summer i envisioned when we arrived in June- it’s so much better. i feel as though i’ve been wearing a heavy coast and am now finally able to take it off. i feel lighter.”

happy pub day to my dear alice and charlie and @carleyfortune !!!!!!

i was lucky enough to receive the arc of this book and it’s taken me a few days to put into words how much i loved this one!!!!!!!! every summer after by was not my favorite, but MAN one golden summer is perfection!!!!!!!!!

alice & charlie’s relationship is one of my favorites i’ve ever had the pleasure of reading!!! their banter and flirting and the way they understand eachother is unmatched!!!!! CHARLIE. FLOREK. THE. MAN. THAT. YOU. ARE!!!!!!

i’m so happy that charlie and alice are out in the world and can’t wait to see what everyone thinks!!!!!!

“just see where the sun takes you. and don’t forget, good things happen at the lake.” 🫶🏻⭐️🌊

I didn't know I needed Charlie and Alice's story until I read One Golden Summer.

"Good things happen at the Lake."

One Golden Summer counts down the days Alice and her grandmother are at the lake. Its the same lake that launched Alice's career as a photographer, capturing a group of kids on a yellow boat.

Charlie still drives the ole'yellow boat around lake all these years later. He's an unabashed flirt with a smolder that melts hearts just like he did at nineteen. Alice is not immune to his charm, and slowly allows herself to dive head first in love.

What blossoms over the course of the summer is friendship and a slow-burn love affair. This book is the perfect book to kickoff 2025 beach reads.

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley.

Have you ever wished you could live inside the pages of a book? That’s what I want to do with ONE GOLDEN SUMMER by Carley Fortune.

Oh how I loved this one. There were times I felt as though I could smell the sunblock and feel the heat of the sun and hear the splash of people jumping into the water. Sadly, I was not there in Barry’s Bay, but it was such a joy to join these characters in my imagination.

CHARLIE! I love his character so much, and most of all loved getting to know him more. There’s such a depth to him that we didn’t get to see when he was a side character in EVERY SUMMER AFTER. I’m so glad we got to learn more about him and see his character growth over these two books. He was such a delight and I will never get over him.

I felt such a kinship to Alice. We have our differences, but I saw so much of myself in her. There were times it felt like Fortune had plucked things from my own head and put them in the book. It is always a special feeling to read a book where you connect so deeply with a character; when you see them make it out on the other side of their struggles. I loved seeing her gain the confidence to be honest with others, and to speak up for what she needed and wanted for her life.

Watching these two get to know each other and form a solid friendship that turned into more, was such a treat. I’m so sad to be leaving them behind – but am looking forward to rereading this one again and again.

Fortune really came into her own in this book – I truly think it is her best book yet, which makes me so excited to see where things go from here. If you’re looking for the quintessential summer read – this is it.

this book is the definition of the perfect summer book!!!!! i had high expectations for charlie’s book and all of them were exceeded!!!!! ugh, i love this book SO MUCH!!!!! it’ll one thousand perfect be on my top books of the year list! i have a feeling i’ll be rereading this book every summer! i was just soooo happy— a giddy smile on my face the entire time! i miss them already!!!!!

charlie, charlie, CHARLIEEE!!!!! my dream man!!! i don’t remember the last time an MMC made me THISSS LEVEL OF FERAL!!!! can we talk about his flirting and teasing??? bc I’M SICK OVER IT!!!! PLS 😩 he’s just perfect!!! my man is a thoughtful, romantic, HOT AF, remarkable silly goose!
and miss alice everly! i think she’s so admirable and she resonated with me on so many levels! reading her find herself and the confidence to follow her heart made me soo happy and so hopeful!
i love charlie and alice’s friendship sooo much! the way they cared about each other and made each other laugh like no one else! the way he brought her out of her shell, never hesitated to show up for her, and gave her the best summer ever! the way she saw his heart and didn’t let what anyone said about him change her opinion of him! she knew she had a GOOD ONE! the way they truly made each other better! ugh, i want what they have so bad— it’s the beautiful thing! i could cry!!!

this story shows us how when someone is meant for you they will always be for you and how right person + right time = pure magic!

the ending and the epilogue made me soooo weepy— my heart is overflowing with love for charlie, alice, percy, and sam!
i love barry’s bay sooo much— probably one of my favorite settings ever! and nan’s character was also such a treat!

now, i desperately need a summer in a cottage house on a lake! 😭

I absolutely loved this book—it was the perfect blend of nostalgia, romance, and self-discovery. The lake setting felt like a character in itself like in most of Carley Fortune's books. I was completely swept up in Alice's slow-burn reconnection with Charlie. Their story was tender and emotional, and I loved every moment. I finished the last page with the urge to grab a camera and a plan for a trip to a lakeside cottage :). Carley Fortune is my new go-to author for incredible summertime romances.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-galley!

I devoured this, like most of Fortune’s books. This was one of my favorites so far though! I have eagerly been awaiting Charlie‘s book and it definitely held up to the hype. I felt like this had a more gritty flavor which was really fun to add to the romantic tension and soft lake summer setting that she does so well. The forced proximity trope is at a peak, and there is also really good banter to add to the romance. The whole thing made me very nostalgic and left me with a book hangover.

I was so excited to return to Barry’s Bay and finally get Charlie’s story! I’m especially glad I reread Every Summer After beforehand—it was the perfect way to reacquaint myself with Charlie’s flirty, magnetic personality. His role in Sam and Percy’s relationship is more layered than it first appears, and it adds real depth to his journey in One Golden Summer. If you haven’t read Every Summer After yet, I’d definitely recommend starting there!

I absolutely loved how Charlie and Alice’s connection began—with a photograph she took as a teenager during a summer at the lake with her grandmother. That same grandmother brings her back to the lake years later, setting the stage for her to meet Charlie. These two are such a perfect match. Charlie is still his charming, flirty self, but he’s also carrying guilt and insecurities that make him feel like he’s never quite enough. Alice, on the other hand, is trying to find herself again, and I adored watching the two of them slowly check off items from her teenage bucket list together. Their friendship grows into something real and meaningful, and every step of their relationship felt genuinely earned.

And can we talk about Nan? I loved her quiet encouragement and how she, too, finds a bit of reconnection with her own past. Because honestly—good things really do happen at the lake.

Thank you Berkley Romance for the free book and thank you PRH Audio for the #gifted listening copy! #BerkleyBookstagram #BerkleyIG #berkley #berkleyromance #PRHAudioPartner #PRHAInfluencer #carleyfortune #OneGoldenSummer

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: 𝐀𝐉 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

𝟓★

I’m a beach girl, but I’ve never been so happy to go back to the lake! I have loved everything Carley Fortune has written, but this might be her best one yet! If you read Meet Me at the Lake, you know that book was all about Sam and Percy. One Golden Summer is all about Charlie, Sam’s brother.

Charlie was 19 years old when Alice took a photo of him along with Sam and Percy on a boat from afar that launched her career. Now, Alice is in her 30s and returning to Barry’s Bay with her grandmother for the summer while she recovers from an injury and Alice recovers from a heartbreak. With a bucket list of items to accomplish during the summer, Alice is ready to make the most of her time at the lake. But the guy taking care of their house happens to be the same guy she photographed all those years ago on the boat, and suddenly the sparks start to fly.

There was so much self-discovery in this book and I loved watching both Charlie and Alice as I read this one. I thought I loved Sam and Percy, but Charlie and Alice together were pure perfection! The pacing was perfect, the relationship Charlie had with Nan was amazing, bucket list items were great. I just loved it all. I would definitely read Meet Me at the Lake first because it’s an amazing book, but if you don’t, you could definitely be ok reading this as a standalone (but I just love both books so much that I just want you to read MMATL first)!

📷Friends to Lovers
📷Bucket List
📷Forced Proximity
📷Interconnected Stories
📷The Best Banter

🎧The audiobook is narrated by AJ Bridel, and she again nailed it! I love listening to her narrate Carley Fortune’s books. Her voice just sounds so right with her characters. I could not stop once I started. She truly has such an amazing talent and I definitely recommend this one on audio!

Posted on Goodreads on May 6, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around May 6, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on May 6, 2025
**-will post on designated date

Charlie Florek’s redemption story 😍
This is the book for summer — this is everything and then some. The story I didn’t know I needed right now. Thank you so much @berkleypub for the gifted arc 🤍

𝙊𝙉𝙀 𝙂𝙊𝙇𝘿𝙀𝙉 𝙎𝙐𝙈𝙈𝙀𝙍 has so much of what I love in a romance — real, emotional, mature characters. Charlie is a playboy who shows his vulnerable and soft side to Alice. He does more than show that he cares for those around him, he proves it — time and time again. The beginning of the story started out with strong banter between Charlie and Alice, I actually giggled out loud at times. The chemistry between the two of them was oozing and dripping off the pages every time they spoke to each other!

Alice is shy and reserved and the way she became so comfortable around Charlie and opened up throughout the story was beautiful. She became a more confident, strong woman in all aspects of her life. Alice’s character is one of the few characters I’ve read that I connected with so deeply, I felt what Alice was feeling throughout the entire book. Her passion for photography made my heart so warm, as just recently I’ve been really considering getting back into photography myself. And this was the perfect little nudge to spark that joy again for me.

And Nan 🥹 we love a grandmother/granddaughter relationship. The sweetest relationships with the best advice — “𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙠𝙚.”

I loved the sweet side characters. I loved the bucket list. I love the lake life. I loved this book ✨ the growth, the development, the amplification of love and adoration between Charlie and Alice was so incredible and sweet. Love that was never lost between the two of them.

Also — THAT SLOW BURN 🔥🔥🔥

It has been a little bit since I’ve read a Carley Fortune book, but her writing is refreshing and easy with a natural flow. The maturity of her writing and these characters was stunning. So much thought and care went into even the little moments of this story.

THIS is the book of summer 🤩 and a favorite of mine for the year so far! ❤︎

Nothing will ever compare to Every Summer After for me, but One Golden Summer was almost as good! The chemistry between Charlie and Alice felt real and I loved their friendship. This is a perfect summer/beach read.

Carley is securing her role as my personal travel influencer — packing my bags now for a summer at Barry’s Bay.

Charlie!
Alice!!
Nan!!!

Frickin’ Sam and Percy! Yes, that duo!

“One Golden Summer” is a summer romance between characters who have been carrying heavy loads and give into a summer fling, inspired by the lighthearted desires of their 17-year-old selves.

The nostalgic, emotional tone and focus on personal growth through rekindled connections between Charlie and Alice is beautiful to watch unfold. Seeing Charlie go from being a bit of a pot stirrer to a 30-year-old man with adult worries and responsibilities makes his character arc *chef’s kiss*.

Alice finds her backbone during her days with Nan and Charlie which translates beautifully to her personal and professional life. I absolutely loved her growth and saw myself in her.

Nan — the absolute star of the book! Her scenes with Charlie are some of my favorites from the novel.

OGS is Carley’s most introspective, atmospheric romance to date and I’m eager to see where her next story takes us (as long as it’s still lakeside).

GOOD THINGS HAPPEN AT THE LAKE!!!!!!! One Golden Summer is the second book in the Barry's Bay series written by Carley Fortune and yes, IT'S CHARLIE FLOREK'S BOOK!!!!!!! I highly recommend reading Every Summer After first before this one just so you know the backstory and meet the characters. Honestly, I feel like this one is my favorite and it was the most relatable, the characters resonate with you on a deep level which feels like a warm comforting hug. I absolutely loved this book more than my words will ever tell you, if I could give this book a billion stars I totally would because it had me captivated the entire time. One Golden Summer is an emotional love story about two people who are afraid of letting themselves truly be seen, it's about perfectionism and regrets. This book better be in every beach girls book bag and or on your kindle because One Golden Summer is the perfect summer beach read that you won't want to miss out on. I had so many emotions while reading this beautiful story, I cried, I smiled, I was swooning, and I was kicking my feet in the air and giggling non-stop. It truly felt like Carley was right there holding my hand while I was reading this book, it felt like she was talking to my younger self through this beautiful and emotional summer love story. I can't recommend this book enough, please please do yourselves a favor and pick up this beautiful story immediately. QUEEN CARLEY IS BACK WITH A UNFORGETTABLE AND BEAUTIFUL SUMMER READ!!!!!! Let me just take another minute and say how freaking beautiful this cover is, it's so aesthetic and beautifully detailed. Get ready to dip your toes in the sand at Barry's Bay with some watermelon slices and a messy bun.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!

"I want you to have a great summer, too. Let your hair down. Do something stupid. Do something selfish".

"I think of all the beautiful, intelligent women in my life I have heard complain about everything from their thighs to their eyelashes".

"Things can change when you lose people".

Alice: "Today I am seventeen, but sometimes I wonder if I even exist".

"The thing about love languages, it's not just about how we express love, but how we receive love".

Grandma Nan: "Don't let wounds fester. It only gets harder to repair them".

"Falling in love is terrifying".

"It feels like all the greatest kisses in one. Like kissing your high school crush, and the best friend you have fallen in love with, and the person you want to stand beside for as long as time will let you".

Alice Everly's Barry's Bay Summer Bucket List
1. Jump off the rock.
2. Wear a skimpy bathing suit.
3. Read a smutty book.
4. Throw myself a birthday party.
5. Kiss a cute guy.
6. Take one good photo.
7. Make a bunch of bad art.
8. Learn how to do a back flip off the dock??? Front flip? A more elegant dive?
9. Take up a water sport. Paddle boarding? Wake boarding? Water skiing?
10. Go skinny dipping.
11. Make a new friend.
12. Do something reckless.
13. Ride a jet ski.
14. Glittery make up like Heather used to wear.
15. Put on a green dress.
16. Low-key drugs????
17. Sleep under the stars.

Alice Everly feels like a certified badass behind the camera. Alice is such a relatable character, she's such a people pleaser, she wants everyone to like her but she hates asking for help or being a inconvenience. Alice is a freelance photographer, she always feels in command with a camera in her hands. Nanette Everly, Alice's grandma, gave Alice her first camera when she was in high school. Alice has been a professional photographer for more than ten years. Alice's love language is acts of service, y'all this woman is literally the sweetest ever. Nanette Everly has always been Alice's biggest champion, but when Nan falls in dance class and breaks her hip, Alice wants to do something nice for Nan so she can heal. Alice and Nan return to Barry's Bay so Alice can cure Nan's happiness. Barry's Bay means coconut sunscreen, watermelon slices, and an unforgettable summer. Alice first went to this cottage when she was seventeen, now she's thirty-two and back again. When Alice was seventeen, she took a photograph of three teenagers and a yellow speedboat, seventeen summers later, the yellow boat shows up again. Alice and Nan are going to spend two months at the cottage from June through August because Alice wants Nan to have the best summer. This summer for Alice is all about taking risks and stepping outside of her comfort zone. This second golden summer is where memories are made for Alice and Charlie and soon after they will hold and cherish these golden memories forever.

Charlie Florek is a guardian angel and a ripped cottage hottie. Charlie is so very sweet and so thoughtful, he's the one that got the cottage all set up for Alice and Nan before they arrived. Charlie is known as the heart breaker across the bay, he has dimples, celery green eyes, and the most perfect jawline. Charlie is an unapologetic flirt, his love language is teasing/joking and physical touch. Charlie is very full of himself, but he's so charming and such a cutie patootie. Charlie is the type of guy who wears his emotions on his sleeves, us women love a man that's not afraid to cry. Charlie has had a rough childhood, he was only fourteen years old when his father passed away from a heart attack and then he was thirty-two years old when his mom died, but she was sick for two years before she lost her life. Charlie is now thirty-five years old and he's about to have the best summer of his life with Alice and Nan. Charlie doesn't believe the soulmate thing is in the cards for him because all he's ever had was failed relationships. I absolutely adore Charlie, he's vulnerable, he's unapologetically himself. Did I also mention that Charlie has a hidden talent? This man can sing, Charlie Florek has the voice of an angel. As Charlie was talking about losing his parents, I just wanted to reach into my kindle and give him the biggest hug ever. Charlie, I will forever love you and hold you close to my heart.

Alice Everly and Charlie Florek are about to have the best golden summer of their lives. Alice and Charlie were the absolute cutest book characters, they made me laugh and swoon so much. Charlie and Alice are going to have the best one golden summer fling with no strings attached. Their banter was top tier absolutely hilarious, they made me laugh and cry all on the same page. Charlie calls Alice City Girl which was just adorable. Okay Charlie is officially my book boyfriend, he baked a chocolate layered cake for Alice's birthday which happens to fall on Canada Day. Charlie even paints Nan's nails for her which just made me swoon for this man. I was so happy to see mentions of Percy and Sam in this book, it was so wholesome to catch up with their lives even though we only see a little bit of them. During their summer, Charlie and Alice are going to complete seventeen year old Alice's bucket list. Charlie sees Alice like no one ever has before. "You are a bad influence", Alice says, "but I can be a bad influence too". Together Alice and Charlie laugh until tears are pouring down their faces, which of course made me laugh too. This summer, Alice and Charlie will float on the lake, race around in the boat, jump off cliffs, and stroll around on jet ski's. I absolutely loved and adored watching the two form a strong friendship and soon later become the cutest love birds. "I love you, Alice Everly". "Because, I love you too, Charlie Florek". It's official, Nan and Alice have given Charlie the summer he has always wanted. Alice and Charlie will forever remain my favorite summer book couple of 2025.

“Good things happen at the lake”

5/5 stars

This is less of a review and more of a love letter to this book tbh

There is something so nostalgic about Carley’s books, particularly as a Canadian girlie who spent her summers by the lake growing up. Every page feels like a reminder of my upbringing.

Not only that, but they are unapologetically Canadian in an industry that pushes for American settings. As a Canadian book girlie, I love reading books set in places I know and the small town of Barry’s Bay is exactly that.

I loved being back, and I loved Charlie and Alice’s story. Particularly getting the ending and redemption Charlie deserves!! He’s a persistent flirt (who made me blush many a time) but underneath he’s observant and caring. Alice is an independent, people pleasing, creative who regains her sense of self at the lake and in Charlie. They are the perfect match, two people who can be utterly themselves together. And the BANTER!! I could have read an entire book just of their banter.

This gave me all the nostalgic, romantic, summer beach vibes just like Every Summer After did, and it feels like the perfect follow up. The Sam and Percy cameos were everything, and I loved looking in on that story from Alice’s outside perspective.

It’s truly the perfect summer read, I already want to re-read it, and I’m telling you, you do not want to skip this one!! If you loved Every Summer After, you’re going to love this just as much.

things to love:
•barry’s bay
•charlie florek
•canadian summer at the lake
•banter/flirting
•mutual pining
•sibling/family bonds
•nan