Every Summer After was always my favorite of her first three books, so I was thrilled when I discovered she was coming out with a book about Charlie (he was always my favorite 😎).

This book was a combination of teenage summer nostalgia mixed with the reality of being in your thirties and still trying to figure everything out.

The banter in this book was done sooo well. It was funny, hot, and addicting. I think it’s what made the book. And if you weren’t a fan of Charlie, the bad boy, in the first book, you will be after this read.

I absolutely loved Alice’s journey of finding her voice and learning to lean into what she’s passionate about. There was such a strong family theme throughout the book, which was beautiful to read.

This was such a passionate, fun, meaningful and even unexpected (at times) read. This book was the escape we all crave—delicious and rejuvenating.

5/5 ⭐️

Thank you @berkleyromance @berkleypub for this ARC 💙

Finally, Charlie FREAKING Florek! Been waiting for this novel since Every Summer After and beyond stoked that Charlie, our dear Charlie finally has his happy ending. Does this offer anything new or groundbreaking? Not really. But did I enjoy the heck out of it? Why yes, yes I did. A perfect lakeside romance, it's best read in summer (read this way too soon, should've waited) and loved the romance between the two leads. How they slowly became friends and then lovers. My fave trope!

I thought it might be too early in the year for a summertime romance, but Carley Fortune proved me completely wrong because this book IS the sunshine.

As a companion to Every Summer After, we finally get Charlie’s story (the “bad boy” brother), with welcome cameos from Sam and Percy and a return to the nostalgic and charming beachside town of Barry’s Bay.

Forced proximity can often feel, well dare I say, forced… but Fortune makes it feel natural and believable.

Charlie and Alice are a perfect romance genre couple. She’s cautious, he’s flirty, and together they create a slow burn that absolutely sizzles.

This story is about love, loss, and second chances, and it will make for the most perfect beach binge on your next summer trip.

𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐞
★★★★★
𝘼𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙬!

I was so excited to dive into this book and head Back to Barry’s Bay! I have loved all of Carley’s books and this story is one of my favorites!

The setting at the lake, the vibes that poured from the pages and the beautiful family ties captured me from the very beginning. I just adored Alice and how she headed to Barry’s Bay for the summer to help out her grandmother who was recovering from hip surgery. The love and dedication Alice had for her grandmother as well as the relationship they had was such a heartwarming aspect to this book.

Charlie was the icing on the cake to this story! He was exactly what we needed for Alice and her grandmother. He had a bad boy reputation but in the end he was absolute perfection! From helping at the cabin, to helping Alice and being a great friend and support for her grandma, Charlie was the hero of the summer.

The past connection that Alice and Charlie had to the current chemistry had me melting like a popsicle in the sun! This is a must read this summer, so be sure to add it to those summer TBR’s!

🎧 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 🎧
I listened to the audiobook and read the eARC in tandem and the narrator AJ Bridel did a phenomenal job portraying the characters and story.

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
Great Banter
Small Town
Found Family
Friends to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Summer at the Lake

🚤ONE GOLDEN SUMMER by Carley Fortune🚤

📆PUB DATE: Today! (5/6/2025)
➡️Swipe or see below for synopsis
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Format: E-book/Audiobook
Read if you like:
💖Summer romances
👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩Forced proximity
🌊Lake setting

Thank you @berkleyromance and @prhaudio for the #gifted advanced copy of One Golden Summer! This book made me so excited for northern WI lake days this summer🌊 In One Golden Summer, Alice Everly, a successful photographer, returns to Barry’s Bay with her grandmother Nan, hoping to heal from recent heartbreak. There, she reunites with Charlie Florek, the subject of a pivotal photograph from her youth.

This book returns to the world and characters I fell in love with in Every Summer After, and I personally enjoyed this book a lot more. I loved Alice—her independence was refreshing and her relationship with Nan was a lovely part of the story. Alice and Charlie had such amazing chemistry, and it felt like they were always meant to find their way back to each other. As a lake girl at heart, I absolutely loved the setting! Carley Fortune gets better with every book, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. Definitely add this to your summer reading list!

One Golden Summer, YOU ARE SOOOO GOLDEN!!! I’m so sorry to Every Summer After, you know I love you dearly, but Charlie takes all the stars! I inhaled this book, I was completely obsessed and never wanted it to end. I lost count of how many times I giggled, blushed, squealed out loud, and kicked my feet like a heart-struck FOOL. I was so happy to be back in Barry’s Bay!!! At this point I need to visit because I feel like part of my heart is there??

Alice!!! It is a big year for FMC’s named Alice, so far they are 2 for 2!! I love her so much, and I think she’s one of the most relatable characters ever. After playing it safe her whole life she just wants to let loose and have some fun, and I GET IT! Now Charlie. CHARLIE MF FLOREK. He can do no wrong and I love him and will protect him at all costs. From the very beginning he’s just so charming and flirty it was delicious. The humor, the banter, the TENSION omg. Alice and Charlie were literally made for each other, I will not hear any arguments. He helped her recreate the summer she wanted at 17 and it was the most beautiful thing to read. I loved their interactions, I loved how Charlie was with Alice’s grandma and family, and how he was so unapologetically himself. Also, the moments with Sam and Percy healed something in me too. I loved that we got to see them in this book, it really felt like a full circle moment!

The writing was beautiful and made me feel like I was right there in Barry’s Bay with the characters. I’ve never felt so nostalgic towards a place I’ve never visited!! Carley Fortune made me feel the exact same way in Every Summer After, and I’m so happy she was able to capture that same feeling in this book. The pacing was perfect, the slow burn was slow burning in the best way possible!! Also, this was one of the best forced proximity books I’ve ever read- it was done expertly. Anyway I could go on and on, but just know this book is everything to me and it now holds space in my heart forever. Thank you to Berkley Romance for an early copy!!

Carley Fortune has done it again. I stayed up until 2 AM to finish this because I just could not put it down.

In Carley Fortune's debut, Every Summer After, we learn about Percy and Sam and the thing that has kept them apart for a decade despite being child sweethearts and seemingly made for each other. Sam's brother, Charlie is the odd man out in their story and as Fortune states in the acknowledgements, fans have not stopped wondering what would happen to Charlie since.

Now, Fortune gives us Charlie's story. Alice and Charlie are a bit too insta-lovey but otherwise their story is so sweet and really touched me in places (I cried--a lot! how very Alice of me). Charlie and Alice's issues never feel contrived but you root for them no matter how much you see incoming disaster. I really loved this one and I am so glad that Fortune decided to return to Barry's Bay.

Synopsis: Head back to Barry’s Bay in this follow up to Every Summer After! Alice spent an idyllic summer at the lake with her grandparents back when she was seventeen - now, as an adult, Alice decides it will be the perfect summer escape for her and her Nan.

Thoughts: “Good things happen at the lake.” This will be one of the books of the summer! Carley is a master of writing the perfect summer setting and vibes. I would definitely recommend reading Every Summer After first if you haven’t yet. Without spoilers for either book - I loved ESA but did NOT love Charlie, so I was pleasantly surprised to adore him in this book. His character arc is so well done. And Alice - I related to her SO MUCH, and the way Charlie helped her be more herself was so sweet and tender. I loved the banter and chemistry between the two of them, and my heart absolutely melted at how sweet Charlie’s relationship with Nan was. I’m a sucker for found family, and their little trio was so sweet! A note on the audio: AJ Bridel’s narration is perfection! Loved it on audio!

Read this if you like:
🚤 lake setting
🚤 friends to lovers
🚤 found family
🚤 opposites attract
🚤 forced proximity
🚤 teenage nostalgia

All the stars. I can't. I loved this book so much. Stayed up til 2 am finishing it and as a mom of two young kids, that's the biggest compliment to a book.

Oh, this book! I loved every minute of it. Alice and Charlie…their relationship…Alice’s grandmother…the setting!! I could go on and on. It was such a beautiful and heartwarming romance of self-discovery and nostalgia of summers at the lake. if you enjoy romance books this book is a must. I adore Carley’s books and this one might be my favorite!

This book was perfection! I have been obsessed with Carley’s books since Every Summer After and it was so nice to be back in Barry’s Bay. Charlie is such a misunderstood character and I’ve always wanted to get his story, so I was ecstatic when Carley announced this book. One Golden Summer was the perfect summer romance and I loved every second of it. Alice and Charlie were perfect together, and this book exceeded all expectations. I highly recommend you add this book to your TBR!

Thank you to Carley Fortune, Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I relish a great Summer beach read novel and Carley Fortune delivers every year when I’m jonesing for a vacation when I can spend time immersing myself in a delicious setting, and complicated characters that make you want to root for them. One Golden Summer captures that feeling so well. Alice’s journey to find herself while capturing the love for photography while having a summer “friendship” with Charlie was easy breezy reading. It made me feel warm with happiness while at the same time tense with nervous anxiety. Just as with any good romance, there is a hiccup to happiness that they must overcome. I’ll admit I shed a few tears reading this novel but that’s a sign of a strong connection to the characters. I was hooked and stayed up until late in the early morning hours to finish this novel because I just couldn’t put it down.

If you’re in the mood for a summer romance, then Carley Fortune is the author you turn to, and One Golden Summer is another wonderful romantic page turner. To be honest, summer is my most dreaded season because I live in the south, where we have summer eight months out of the year, but that doesn’t dampen my love for summer romances. I would recommend this book to everyone. Actually, I would recommend ALL of Carley Fortune’s books.

Dare I say, this is Fortune's best book yet? There is just something about a romance with so so much hilarious banter and wit that I just gobble up. These characters are the best. Lake setting in the summer, perfection. I cannot get enough of this story and was truly sad when I finished simply because I wanted to stay on that lake with them. 5 stars hands down.

This might have just became my favorite Carley Fortune book?! Honestly, after Every Summer After, I didn't feel like I needed Charlie's book, but I am happy to report that I was wrong. I needed this book like a fish needs water. My biggest mistake was starting it right before bed because I didn't sleep until it was done (yes, birds were chirping and it was WORTH IT).

𝑺𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚
Good things happen at the lake. Or so that's what Alice's grandmother says.
Alice spent one summer at Barry's Bay. Her life changed that summer when her grandmother gave her a camera for her birthday. Shy and the turtle of her family, she never approached the other teens at the lake, but she did take a photo of three of them out on a yellow boat. That photo changed her life. Sixteen years later, she's a photographer who is booked, busy, and healing from a break up. When Nan has emergency hip replacement, Alice decides they could both use a trip back to the lake.

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔
• If you like banter, you need to meet Charlie.
• If you yearn to be seen and understood without asking, you need this book.
• If you've ever wished you did things differently in your past, this book is for you.

Fortune handles challenging topics with great care. Yet, it's not a sad story with the humor and love shared between all the characters. I laughed. I cried. I've stared into space for 2 days since finishing it.

Her writing is deliciously descriptive without getting bogged down. I could have sworn I was at lake.

⚠️ If you have not read Every Summer After, this book contains spoilers. However, you could read this one on its own if you don't mind.

Hands down my favorite Carley Fortune book yet! I binged this book over the weekend, and it was exactly what I needed. I was giggling so loud and literally kicking my feet. One Golden Summer perfectly hits romance, comedy, and depth.

What I loved:
- Charlie mf Florek
- I ADORE Alice. Like…obsessively adore her. She’s such a relatable FMC. She’s an introverted people pleaser, but she also has a bite and an edge to her.
- The flirty banter and back-and-forth between Charlie and Alice is EVERYTHING.
- I love a slow burn, and this was done so incredibly well.

I had a hard time putting this one down, but I found myself slowing down because I didn’t want it to end.

One Golden Summer
By: Carley Fortune

Thank you to @berkleyromance for free e-book #berkleypartner #berkley All opinions are my own.

“It feels like all the greatest kisses in one. Like kissing your high school crush, and the best friend you’ve fallen in love with… It’s the starting gun and the finish line.”

I’m not sure I have the words to sum up how much I loved One Golden Summer but I will do my best to convey the depth for which my heart connected to this beautiful story. It has been my favorite read so far this year and I simply loved each and every moment of it.

When she was seventeen Alice spent one amazing summer at the lake with her Nan and took a breathtaking photo of three gorgeous teenagers in a yellow speed boat that changed her life. As an adult, Alice has become good at capturing what others want to see in her photos but she can’t remember the last time she took a picture just for fun. With her grandmother also struggling, Alice comes up with a plan for her and Nan to return to the lake where good things always happen. One of those good things, as it turns out, is Charlie Florek -- the boy from her photo who is all grown up but whose smile makes Alice feel like she is seventeen again.

There are so many things that I loved about One Golden Summer but the thing I love the most is Charlie. He is pure joy and sunshine and he brings so much warmth and happiness to the pages of this book. His love and friendship makes Alice stronger. He draws her out and makes her want to be seen. Her character grows leaps and bounds because of their connection and I was right there with her as she fell in love.

It is no surprise that Carley Fortune is an auto-buy author for so many of us romance loving readers. Infinity stars

Read if you like:

Summer Love
Opposites Attract
Character Growth
Interconnected Stories
Friends to Lovers
Found Family

The way I got an ARC from one of my favourite authors and I’ll forever be so thankful. 🥹🥹🥹

5 stars for this masterpiece. The banter, the flirting, the emotion, the story of Charlie & Alice… THIS was everything I expected it to be and more.

I’ve read everything this author has written and loved it all—so yeah, I knew I’d like this one. But I didn’t expect it to destroy me like this. I wasn’t ready. Not even close.

This book got inside me. The setting? Pure dream-state. The plot? A reflection of everything I’ve been through but didn’t know how to say out loud. That aching space after a breakup, where you’re tired of being the “good girl” and craving something more. Not just love or lust, but freedom. Recklessness. Feeling again.

And then there’s the photography. Oh my god—the way it’s woven in isn’t just aesthetic, it’s spiritual. It’s that desperate need to capture something real before it slips away. I felt every click of the shutter like it was my own heartbeat. That search for light, for truth, for something beautiful in the chaos—that’s me. That’s my life.

Even though it’s technically a sequel, it stands on its own. But if you’ve read the others, you already know: this author doesn’t just write books—they write emotions. They write moments that feel like they’ve been pulled from your ribcage and scattered across the page.

I cried. I lied. I melted. And when it ended, I just sat there, wanting more. More mess, more beauty, more blurry memories caught in golden light.

This book didn’t just move me. It saw me. And I’ll never be the same.

I will read absolutely anything that Carley Fortune writes. I have loved Charlie Florek since I first read Every Summer After three years ago. And this book didn't disappoint. I loved both of the characters, and the development of the plot was so relatable and beautiful. I loved following Alice and Charlie's journey.