Miss Carley, this is your best book yet. Being back in Barry's Bay was so nostalgic and if you look up RIZZ in the dictionary, there's a picture of Charlie Florek.

I had such a good time with this book. I felt like I was there in Barry's Bay myself with the way this book had me giggling and kicking my feet.

We all know how Every Summer After went and Charlie's involvement in that book, and if you had any ounce of resentment towards Charlie Florek from that book, this one will hopefully wipe it all away! Does he need therapy? Maybe. Does he have commitment issues? Also maybe. But we love him.

Our FMC Alice Everly, full government name is important btw, is so likeable and felt so real! She's one of my new favorite romance FMCs and wish we could have more of her.

I loved this book dearly and can't wait for the official release!

"I saw something else in those photos,” Charlie says. And then he goes for it. ‘I saw myself falling in love wth you." - Charlie Florek

This is definitely Carley Fortune’s best book yet. I have yet to read “This Summer Will Be Different”, but her other two books were not my favourite. This book however, I really enjoyed the story and relationship development between Alice and Charlie. I think their chemistry is amazing and it’s refreshing to see two people in their early/mid-30s finding love again.

Tropes:
☀️ Barry’s Bay Setting
☀️ Friends to lovers
☀️ Friends with benefits
☀️ Photographer FMC

Pros:
- CHARLIE FLOREK
- Alice being a photographer (because same)

Cons:
- Honestly, don’t have much to critique.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley and the author Carley Fortune for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Good things happen when you read a Carley Fortune book.

One Golden Summer is a masterpiece of summer romance! I loved every moment of Alice and Charlie’s sparkling, joy-filled summer of fun and sizzling romance in Barry’s Bay.

Returning to Barry’s Bay felt like coming home. The setting is always a main character in Carley Fortune’s books, and this one is no different. The vivid descriptions of light reflecting off the water, the sounds and smells of summertime at the lake, and the small details about the look of John’s cozy cabin transported me to Kamaniskeg Lake alongside Alice, Charlie, and Nan. Alice, the main character and narrator, is a photographer, and the author did an amazing job using imagery to let readers see the world through Alice’s eyes—and often through her lens, too.

Carley Fortune has outdone herself with the flirting, banter, and will-they-or-won’t-they tension. While Alice and Charlie’s connection is undeniable to everyone at the lake—and their chemistry is off the charts from their very first meeting—the friendship they form over the summer is rooted in mutual trust, respect, and understanding. They become each other’s biggest supporters and confidants, and I couldn’t help but fall in love with their love story. Alice capturing Charlie falling in love with her through the photos she takes throughout the summer is one of the most romantic things I’ve ever read.

The main characters, Alice and Charlie, are beautifully written and full of depth. There is so much more to Charlie than he allows the world to see. He uses flirting, humor, and physical intimacy as a shield, but when he lets Alice in and she learns how he views himself, his fears, and his vulnerabilities, I just wanted to give him a hug. His acts of service and kindness show what a huge heart he has. His friendship with Nan is so wholesome and sweet, as is his love for his brother and sister-in-law. Alice is such a creative and loving soul. She loves with her entire being, and it comes through in the way she cares for those closest to her. Her character development was phenomenal, and it was inspiring to read about her rediscovering her passion for photography. I loved how Alice embraced her fears and dedicated herself to having the fun and adventurous summer she missed out on as a teenager. Her summer bucket list was such a fun aspect of the story.

The family dynamics were another highlight of One Golden Summer. I loved Alice’s relationships with her family—especially her bond with Nan, her grandmother. Nan often shared great advice and wisdom, but she also proved that people continue to make mistakes and grow from them, no matter their age. Lastly, I loved being reunited with my favorite characters from Every Summer After! There were many special moments in this book that felt like an extended epilogue to Every Summer After.

I highly recommend One Golden Summer to romance readers and fans of Emily Henry and Jessica Joyce!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

3 stars. I'm so bummed that I didn't love One Golden Summer. I've heard incredible things about Fortune's books, and especially One Golden Summer, so I'm prepared for booksta and book tok to come at me for my feelings about this one. Truly, I'm so grateful to Berkley and netgalley for giving me the chance to read One Golden Summer, which is admittedly my first book from Fortune. And it wasn't bad, but it also wasn't super memorable for me either. The book itself felt very tropey and the characters too archetypal for my liking (a little paint by numbers esque). But I think the biggest issue for me was that I just didn't jive with the writing style itself, which I found to be a bit staccato? Not every book or author is for everyone, and clearly I'm in the minority when it comes to Fortune. I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to read this one early, and don't go by my review-- just look at goodreads. Clearly, I'm in the minority for this one.

I was shocked when I was approved to read One Golden Summer. I’ve always heard great things about Carley’s books. I read this really slow because I just didn’t want it to end.

I love Alice and Charlie. Alice really sees people but she’s never met someone who really sees her, until she met Charlie. They are just so cute and I love the banter between the two of them. I was rooting for them the whole time.

This is one of those books that I know I’ll read again! Especially in the summer. It’s a perfect summer romance book! I loved the ending. I’m looking forward to reading more books by Carley! I love her writing style. I will be running to the bookstore on release day to pick up a physical copy!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Carley
and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC!

Rating: ✨✨✨✨✨
Publication Date: May 6 2025

#OneGoldenSummer #NetGalley

Thank you @berkleyromance and @carleyfortune for my gifted ebook. One Golden Summer is out May 6th. I’ve already preordered a signed copy and I can’t wait for it to arrive!!

I didn’t know if there was a way to love Carley’s writing any more after her first novel, but I think One Golden Summer has done it! I did listen to ESA before reading OGS to take me back mentally to Barry’s Bay, but it’s not necessary.

The book tells Charlie’s story and picks up 3 years after the end of ESA. Alice has a magical summer when she was a teen in Barry’s Bay. She picked up photography that summer and fell in love enough to make it her career. She took a photo of some kids she met and it has been the pinnacle of her skills. When her Nan needs to recover from hip surgery, she offers to take the summer off to be her caretaker at the lake. She meets Charlie and quickly realizes he’s one of the kids from her photo.

Charlie is a massive flirt with everyone and reminds Alice of what it’s like to be 17 again. She has a list of summer goals she wants complete and Charlie helps her with these. You are immersed in the location and if feels as if you are riding in the yellow speedboat yourself.

It’s absolutely impossible to read this book and not fall in love with Charlie. I’m so happy Carley decided to continue with these characters and we get to see them as adults. I love the depth and growth that each of the characters find and learning a little more of their story after the first book ends.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alice grew up with her grandmother's adage of "good things happen at the lake" always in the back of her mind, especially after the one life-changing summer she spent in Barry's Bay at age 17. Now, when Alice is feeling burnt-out by her career and her Nan falls, breaking her hip, she decides it's the perfect time to escape back to the lake for the summer. Enter: Charlie Florek. The boy on the yellow boat that changed the trajectory of Alice's career, that has also run away from his big city life to the lake for the summer. Could they be just what each other need?

Ugh. I devour Carley Fortune's books every single time. They always come out when I'm in the mood for a summer romance and counting down the days to our annual lake vacation. *Chef's kiss* perfection! Did I entirely forget that Charlie was Sam's brother? Yup. But that's a user error, I immediately black out after I read a book and also always go into books blind. It's a Carley Fortune, obviously I'm going to read it.

THE VERDICT: 5 stars

WHAT I LOVED:
- The setting!!! Barry's Bay was just as magical and it was so fun returning to such a breath-taking setting. I felt like I was there with the way Carley Fortune laid out the details.
- It reads like a The Summer I Turned Pretty or other summer young-adult book (it was the heavy nostalgia and summer getaway vibe), mixed with the complexities of having adult characters.
- The banter was 10000/10
- I love a grandma character and Nan delivered from start to finish; watching Nan and Charlie develop their own relationship was so sweet; Nan having her own secondarily storyline was also precious and played out perfectly.
- The bucket list was the perfect guiding force for the story.
- The exploration of grief was so well done, along with the complexities of Alice navigating her family relationships and struggles within her job.

WHAT WAS A MISS:
- The twist wasn't necessarily shocking, I definitely saw it coming, but that didn't bother me!
- There was a third-act breakup, but it was done well and it made sense in the context of the characters' lives and personal struggles.
- The ending felt a little rushed imo, but maybe that's just because I loved it so much and wanted more.

Thank you to Carley Fortune, NetGalley and Berkley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Have I been living under a rock, for Pete's sake? In my defense, I went into this COMPLETELY blind. I didn't look at the synopsis and I have tried to avoid all early reviews. Still, how did I not know that this was more of Charlie and Sam???????????????? I even got a quarter of the way into the book, thinking there is something so familiar about this... then it clicked and I felt like a DOOF!

Good things happen at the lake. Amazing!! This was amazing. From seeing old faces to so many new characters, being back in this little world was so nice! Charlie needed his story and I am so glad he got it.

Alice is spending the summer at a cottage on the lake with her grandmother. She hasn't been there since the summer she spent there with her when she was seventeen. It was that summer that set Alice on the path of her life. She snapped an iconic photo of three teenagers on a yellow speedboat and knew immediately that she would never feel as happy without a camera in her hand. Now, she is a credited photographer, but she still lives life behind the lens. Meeting Charlie Florek changes everything. She feels like she can be totally herself. She can stand up for herself and put him in his place. They form a really sweet friendship first and the interactions with Alice's grandmother, Nan were all so much fun to read.

Carley Fortune makes you feel all the feels in One Golden Summer. This is a perfect beach read. This is friends to lovers, where you fall in love with both of the MCs. Alice was so real! I can absolutely relate to feeling more comfortable on the sidelines.

🗓️ May 06, 2025

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of returning to Barry’s Bay 🥰 It was just what I needed to get out of a reading slump. I love everything @carleyfortune writes but there is just something so comforting about being back on that lake. This is Charlie’s story. He’s no longer that teenage boy that betrayed his brother all those summers ago. Heartwarming and emotional at times with nostalgic reconnections with Percy and Sam. It’s like reconnecting with your childhood friends.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you @netgalley @berkleyromance for this highly anticipated eARC in exchange for my honest review.

What’s your most anticipated upcoming summer read? This was mine!!!

#onegoldensummer #carleyfortune #netgalley #berkleyromance #charlieflorek #aliceandcharlie #everysummerafter #summerreading #newrelease

It’s all about love, self-discovery, and the magic of a summer that changes everything. Charlie, with his quiet strength and kindness, is the perfect companion to the story. Their connection felt both real and messy. A perfect read for anyone looking to escape into a golden, sun-soaked summer.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley publishing group for the arc!

I knew Charlie Florek was going to wreck me, but I wasn’t prepared for how fast and far I’d fall in love with him and Alice. This book is truly the story of my heart 🥹

OMFG i’m so absolutely in love and obsessed with this book. this is my first book by carley fortune and i cannot wait to read the rest of her work.
i guarantee this is the read of the summer!
if there was an award for a shameless flirt charlie florek would be in first place.
alice is such a relatable and real fmc and i adored her
all the relationships between these characters was beautiful.
this book just nostalgia like no other.
this book with me my personality for the foreseeable future. i can’t wait to grab a physical copy on May 6th!

A new 5 star read has been added to 2025!! I LOVED this!!! Carley Fortune is an absolute master at emotional, atmospheric, summery reads and this was just what I was looking for. Summer romances that make me feel like I’ve been transported there are my favorite and this did just that!! This book pulled me in from the beginning and I read 75% of it in just one day. The writing was engaging and fast paced, the setting was beautiful as always, the characters felt real, and the romance made my heart HURT. I loved Alice’s character and could relate so much to things she went through and experienced. Her relationship with her grandmother hurt me and healed me all at once as someone who misses their grandmother everyday. I absolutely loved that their relationship played such a big part of this book. I LOVED Nan. Loved loved Charlie’s character and getting more of his backstory. He felt so raw and real and made my heart hurt!! True character growth in his story. Alice and Charlie’s romance and relationship growth was so sweet and felt so real. They both had so much depth to them and took so much time to get to know the other and care for each other that it felt REAL!! They supported each other so much. Loved the tension, the banter, the nostalgia, the lake setting, the relationships, everything. Truly the most perfect summer beach read that will have your heart hurting and healing all at once ❤️‍🩹

Thank you Berkley for the arc!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and Carley Fortune for the opportunity to read this incredible ARC! ☀️

Barry’s Bay and the Florek brothers are back in One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune! This book is written from the POV of Alice, who spent one summer on the lake with her Nan when she was seventeen. Alice took a photograph of three teenagers in a yellow speedboat that catapulted her into a career as a photographer. As her Nan recovers from a broken hip, Alice plans for them to spend the summer back at the lake. She quickly runs into Charlie Florek, who just happens to be one of the teenagers in her photograph. Sparks fly instantly between the two, but it turns into a game of push-and-pull. Dealing with the struggles of different pasts and presents, Charlie and Alice are hesitant to jeopardize their friendship as they grow closer throughout the summer as they work on Alice’s summer bucket list. As they check off more and more items, will they be able to keep their hands off each other and more importantly, their feelings in check?

This was actually my first Carley Fortune book, and I am 100% a fan now! I have already started reading her backlist. 😍 One Golden Summer is absolutely the perfect book to read this summer. Charlie is definitely one of my favorite MMCs that I’ve ever read. Every character was just so well done. It was impossible not to fall in love with the side characters, especially Nan and Percy. There was a depth to this book that sucked me in. I loved that the storyline went beyond “just” a romance. This book will absolutely have you hooked. I rated this book 5 stars, and I highly recommend that you check it out on May 6th when it’s released!! ☀️

One Golden Summer
Carley Fortune
Pub: 5/6/25
4.5☆

Good things happen at the lake.

If you’re in the mood for the perfect beach read, look no further. BUT first read Every Summer After if you have not already.

This was everything I could need and want in a return to Barry’s Bay. Charlie and Alice’s story had me feeling ALL the feels including a huge dose of nostalgia. And Nan! OMG give me a sassy Granny any day of the week. She was by far my favorite and I just adored watching her and Charlie as they formed such a hilarious friendship. I love when romance reads have a twist, and this one took me by total surprise.

Summer, lake life, bucket lists, laughter, and love. What more could you ask for. A definite must read.

What I loved;
🚤 Return to Barry’s Bay
🚤 Friends To Lovers
🚤 Forced Proximity
🚤 LOL Banter
🚤 Found Family
🚤 Unexpected Twist
🚤 Bucket Lists

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the advanced copy.

4.25 stars

In this return to Barry's Bay, we get Charlie's story, and I'll admit, I wasn't sure if I really wanted or needed it. There is nothing I trust less in this world than a cocky, good looking man. To be honest, I don't even trust the mid ones. And I'm not quite sure I had forgiven him for what he did to Percy and Sam in Every Summer After. He is ✨ slightly ✨ humbled in this one, in a way that shouldn't have been entirely unexpected knowing the family backstory from the first book. Even though this is Charlie's HEA, our real main character is Alice, a photographer who spent one summer on the opposite side of the lake as a teen, who watched Charlie, Sam, and Percy from a distance, wishing she could be as carefree as them. As an adult, she returns with her grandmother, who is recovering from hip surgery, to spend one last Summer at their family friends' cottage before it's sold. She meets adult Charlie, for the first time, and realizes that he's the boy from across the bay. They become fast friends, and together they recreate a seventeen year old Summer bucket list. Alice tries to be easy breezy to give Charlie what he says he wants but That. Never. Works. Girl, I feel you. As a FMC, I really liked Alice for going after what she wanted in life and cutting out what no longer served her, but was always apprehensive of her budding relationship with Charlie because I was afraid a leopard can't change its spots. The third act breakup is frustrating, as always, but resolved in a dramatic fashion, which is Charlie's MO after all.

One Golden Summer, set 3 years after Every Summer After, can be read as interconnected standalone books.

I’m a big fan of character development and getting to know characters. Alice, a perfectionist trying to break free from people-pleasing, really speaks to me.

This book takes you on a journey through regret, nostalgia, self-discovery, and a summer romance with Charlie, a charming and confident guy. Their differences make them a perfect match, bringing out the best in each other.

Carley Fortune’s writing style and characters are amazing. It’s my favorite book by her so far!

5 stars for this story about Charlie and Alice, who live out their “summer bucket list” dreams as 30+ year olds.

Thank you Berkley for providing this e-ARC book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.💙☀️

hank you PRH audio and Berkley romance for my copies!

Ok woah, I had the biggest grin for most part of the book, I didn't know what I expected when I began this but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The book gave me such nostalgia for a lake house summer I never even had ever lol, the characters were very well written. I think this might be her best in regards to character arcs.

Alice Everly decides to have a reckless summer break as she returns to the lake house after 15yrs with her grandma who needs some uplifting atmosphere. Alice feels kind of unmoored in her life while her siblings has their own things going and her parents just being divorced.She also is just coming out of a rough breakup and her career is not giving her pleasure as it used to be anymore, she needed to do the things she is scared of so of course makes a good ol bucket list she wants to get through during her stay in the summer.

Enter Charlie, a shameless flirt and a known rake that slows becomes her friend and tugs at her heartstrings, they fit like puzzle pieces but Charlie always holds her at arms length even though she eventually falls for him which wasn't on her list. I have not read Every Summer after so this is my first time meeting Charlie and I think I have fallen for him too ;) if it is a redemption, I think he redeemed himself

I really loved how their relationship began and transformed into something beautiful and sweet. It was flirty, teasing and angsty, Alice relationship with her family especially with her grandma is so heartwarming but Charlie and Nan's relationship made me teary eyed. The little found family aspect is just so well done , the audio narration for this book is always great but I especially enjoyed it more in this one because it carried that tone of nostalgia perfectly

I have been waiting years for this book and it truly didn’t disappoint. It’s a perfect summer read and had me booking a summer vaca by the water asap. Love Charlie and his redemption arc

One Golden Summer is the perfect summer read. I could just smell the pine from the woodsy atmosphere in this one. If you, like me, cherished a grandparent, you'll probably love this book. I really enjoyed the grandmother/granddaughter relationship in this story. So well done.