I had so much fun reading this. It's just the perfect summer vibe book, with a lot of funny moments and banter but also some serious issues and a lovely slow burn development of a relationship. I'll be honest, I didn't read Every Summer After before this--I know! I should have!--but I don't think it really impacted my enjoyment of One Golden Summer at all. I will circle back around and read it and then maybe re-read this. I have read some of Carley Fortune's other summer romances and didn't realize this one was interconnected.

Alice was a very relatable character. I appreciated her depth; she is a people pleaser but not a complete push over, and I appreciate how well Charlie's nearly opposite personality actually complements hers well. I couldn't help but be frustrated with Charlie here or there, but ultimately, the irritation was mild and I was happy how the book finally resolved. Finally, the cottage country setting felt like almost its own character here. I loved the call out to specific institutions, like Kawartha Dairy, and I felt like there were so many tiny details that perfectly captured the setting (though I'll note that personally, I am always eaten alive by bugs on the lake and our characters seem to have escaped my fate. probably an improvement!)

I will definitely read Carley Fortune's next book but this also makes me want to go back and read some of her other novels that I haven't gotten to yet.

4.5⭐️! So many positives to mention about this book. We follow our female main character Alice as she revisits Barry’s Bay as an adult to help her grandma recover from a hip injury.

The descriptive language engages you and drops you right into the whimsical, magical, summery lake setting. The romance is full of tension, yearning, & the slow build is such a pay off.

We finally get Charlie’s book and really get to see just how much he has lived through. The chemistry felt real- both of our MC’s are guarded for different reasons but they learn to open up to each other slowly through mature communication. The twists i didn’t expect, but appreciated because they added context to the story. Charlie is a huge flirt that had me and Alice both giggling and blushing. Definitely an MMC i’ll be thinking about for a while..

Thank you net galley for the ARC!

OUT ON: MAY 6, 2025

Review: Carley Fortune is one of my favorite authors and I was over the moon to receive this book and to read it early (thank you so much @berkleypub | @netgalley for the advanced digital copy 🤍🥹).

This book was a wonderful depiction of self-growth, getting back to your roots and learning to trust (others and yourself). I never thought that I would want Charlie’s story after reading Every Summer After, but now that I have read it I honestly think I liked it even more than Percy and Sams! The way that Charlie was written speaks so highly to those who hide themselves away under a facade when they are hurting. Getting to watch a man unravel twenty-one years of pain for the woman he loves made my heart hurt in the best way. Alice was his perfect match in every way. I loved that she called him out and kept him on his toes!

The way that they have a “seventeen-year-old-summer” was evident in some of the more cringey moments, but I did enjoy it nonetheless. I didn’t love how lusty this book was, but I acknowledge that it was a key part of Charlie’s characterization, so I’ll let it slide for this one. I also enjoyed that this “bucket-list” didn’t dominate the entire plot, but was just a portion of it!

As always, the writing in this book was gorgeous. The amount of quotes I have highlighted throughout this one is a touch aggressive, but I couldn’t help myself.

Anyways, I thought this book was a great read and overall I have no notes but if you’re looking to read it without the spicy scenes (like I do), check out my open door warnings below!

⭐5/5 Rating

⛔️Open Door Scenes: 31, 37 & 45

📖Genres: Romance | Contemporary | Contemporary Romance

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune is a romance book set in Barry’s Bay, an interconnected standalone to her book Every Summer After. This is THE perfect summer romance book.

The way I just ate this entire book up, let me tell you. I’m not sure I can put into words how amazing it *felt* to read this. I loved it right off the bat—and all the way through.

The *vibes* in this book are everything. The banter is top notch. And I could literally 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 the connection between Alice and Charlie. I love how they make each other better, more their true selves. I also love the way Nan perked up to play matchmaker. I connected with Alice’s introvertedness immediately. Charlie’s confident cockiness is sexy AF. And, I also love the richness Nan’s character lends to the story as well.

I haven’t read Every Summer After yet, so I didn’t even realize these two are connected until I read the acknowledgments at the end. This book stands on its own just fine if you haven’t read the other first. But, I totally plan on reading it now to see Sam and Percy’s full story. And, what sounds like Charlie in his villain era. This story sounds like it’s Charlie’s redemption arc.

I highly recommend this book! It’s one of those books that I finished and immediately wished I could read it again for the first time. Definitely add this book to your summer bucket list!

I adore Carley Fortune’s books. Every Summer After broke my heart and put it back together in the most beautiful way possible, but I always wanted more for Charlie. And FINALLY, we get that. One Golden Summer was everything I’d hoped it would be. Alice is so relatable. She doesn’t like to ask for help, never wants to be a burden, and devotes her life to taking care of other people. She’s lost her passion for her job, and watching her rediscover herself and her love for photography was so healing. She thinks of herself as timid and well behaved, but she’s neither of those things around Charlie. He is confident (a little cocky even), charming, funny, and cheeky. He’s completely full of himself, but he’s also attentive, kind, caring, and sweet. Watching them start as friends and slowly fall for each other gave me butterflies. Alice falls hard and fast, and so does Charlie, but he’s adamant that they remain just friends. He wants so much more, but won’t allow himself to have it, and the yearning is unmatched. This book felt like home. It was nostalgic, heartfelt, emotional, romantic, and full of self-discovery and second chances. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in love. Read it immediately.

Thank you to Berkley Romance, Berkley Publishing, Penguin Random House, Carley Fortune, and NetGalley for the ARC.

📔One Golden Summer
✏️ Carley Fortune
📆 May 6, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🥒lake setting
🥒slowburn romance
🥒flirty banter
🥒reformed player
🥒golden retriever hero
🥒mutual pining
🥒will they or won’t they
🥒friends to lovers

I didn't realize I needed Charlie's story until I read it. He just seemed like that one last obstacle in Percy and Sam's story. But this book really fleshed him and gave him a life of his own. And Alice was a great FMC and really balanced him out, while having an interesting and relatable story herself. Wonderful new book from Carley Fortune!

🚤 “Good things happen at the lake”

☀️ “I think of all the times in my life where I’ve stayed quiet because it was more comfortable than speaking up.”

One Golden Summer follows Alice who is going back to the lake she spent the summer at when she was 17 with her grandmother (nan). Her nan is recovering from surgery so they escape the city to Barry’s Bay for a relaxing summer. You really feel like you are at Barry’s Bay while reading this. If you’ve never spent time on a lake during the summer, you must!!! Alice’s family is great - especially Nan. These characters were a great addition to the story. We know and love Charlie and while this is his story, we also get several scenes with Sam and Percy. Adored getting to see their story continue too.

I love this book!!! This is my new favorite Carley Fortune novel! I finished this while on an airplane, trying my hardest to choke back tears. Every Summer After was amazing and I was intrigued in getting Charlie’s story but I didn’t think it could live up to Sam and Percy. I was so wrong, One Golden Summer is so special. I truly didn’t want the book to end.

♾️⭐️

I still don’t know how, why, or what I did to get this OGS package on my doorstep, but I’ll be forever grateful.

One Golden Summer has me speechless. This book was just so incredible and I truly do not have the words to describe it.

When you read a book by Carley you’re transported into the pages, you’re falling in love along with the characters, and you’re feeling every emotion they feel, while crying real tears (like I did many times lol), I wish I could explain to you the feeling of reading a book by Carley, but if you have read her books then you know.

If you really know me, you know Every Summer After is my favorite book, you would also know that I never thought I could forgive Charlie or get over the hurt my heart felt (I know it wasn’t all him lol, but..) BUT after OGS, I take back everything I’ve ever said about Charlie because I am now his number 1 fan. And OGS has become my favorite book now.

This book was just everything I needed it to be. I connected so much with Alice that it made me love the book even more. I loved seeing Percy & Sam again obviously and where they are now 🥹 OGS gave us everything we wanted Charlie to have. It gave us love, heartbreak, healing, happiness, and the perfect happy ending I’ve ever read.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this arc!!

5/5 golden stars!

I LOOVEEDDDD this SO MUUCHH! Alice and her Nan spend the summer at Nan's friends cabin on the lake, which happens to be right by the protagonists house from Every Summer After. Alice meets the handsome and insufferable Charlie, who helps her not only with taking care of Nan but also come out of her shell and start living life more fully. I can't tell you how much I loved this book. Being back in Barry's Bay was so nice, and soooo nostalgic (I really miss Ontario, even more so after reading this). Seeing characters from Every Summer After was such a fun little Easter egg, and seeing how they've grown in a few years was so nice! Honestly I can't wait to reread this again in a few months bc I already want to reread it so badly right now lmao

Fans of Every Summer After have been clamoring for a Charlie Florek book for years and Carley Fortune finally delivers with One Golden Summer! Even if you haven’t read Fortune’s debut you can jump into this book easily, though there will be some spoilers and the cameos from beloved characters Percy and Sam will hit harder if you read them in pub order.

One Golden Summer is told entirely from the perspective of Alice Everly, a burnt out photographer who returns to the lake of her childhood with her Nan who is rehabilitating from hip surgery. Professionally, Alice is searching for creative inspiration after feeling depleted by her most recent project and personally, she is reeling from a recent break up that rocked her carefully constructed world. A lakeside summer sounds like the perfect place to recoup but when Alice meets her dreamboat neighbor Charlie Florek, all bets are off. Charlie is a playboy and far too charming for his own good, but as the summer progresses the two form a tentative friendship with the potential to turn into something more. If only they can bravely open themselves up and discover what they truly want.

When this book was announced, I spent a lot of time wondering who Charlie’s perfect match would be. Upon meeting Alice, there is no one else who could have brought the resident heartthrob of Barry’s Bay to his knees. From their first interaction, the chemistry between Alice and Charlie jumps off the page! Their banter is fierce and they bring out a playful side of each other that no one else can. We get a bit more insight into the grief and guilt Charlie shoulders and I found myself sympathizing with him immensely. Both his and Alice’s character arcs are composed with tenderness and the growth they undergo together and separately is wonderfully done. This is a slow burn romance and through their relaxed pace, Charlie and Alice develop trust in one another that forms the foundation of a beautiful relationship.

The side characters of this book really shine, particularly Nan who close dynamic with Alice sets the tone for many of the novel’s emotional scenes. I was reminded of summer’s spent with my own family and loved all the little slices of everyday life we got to see. Sometimes, the sweetest memories are from the simplest times hanging around the kitchen or enjoying a glass of wine, and this book captures those small but impactful moments. I also enjoyed how Charlie and Nan’s connection developed, proving just how invested he became in Alice’s life. His devotion to Alice and Nan both made me fall for him that much harder.

Carley Fortune’s ability to immortalize summertime through prose is a masterclass in atmosphere. I always feel transported every time I read one of her books and this one is no exception. She sets a scene with such vivid clarity, utilizing all five senses to ground readers in Barry’s Bay. One Golden Summer is ripe with the nostalgia of summer’s past and will make you yearn for sunscreen sweet afternoons spent by the water.

What You’ll Find:
-Summertime nostalgia
-Slow burn romance
-Bucket lists
-Grandparent relationships
-Witty, tension-fueled banter
-Tree houses
-Hot man who builds said treehouse (often shirtless)

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

If you read Every Summer After, you will be very excited to know we are headed back to Barry’s Bay!

This story is about Charlie, whom we meet in Every Summer After. We also get a whole lot more of Percy and Sam. You don’t have to have read Every Summer After before reading this, but I highly recommend it because it makes this story so much more heartfelt. 

Alice and her grandmother Nan run from their life and escape to Barry’s Bay. Nan is recovering from a fall, and Alice is trying to escape a recent break-up and some pretty rough gigs at work as a photographer.

I couldn’t get enough of this book. I loved it so much, from the summer vibes to the nostalgia feels of being a teenager. I loved the bucket list Alice created for herself for the summer; it really helped her to become more carefree. 

Charlie and Alice hit it off right away, and they spend just about every day together. From boat rides to just swimming in the lake, they are always together. I also adored the little found family that Charlie had with Nan. They clicked immediately, and it warmed my heart every time they had dinner or played board games together, just Charlie, Alice, and Nan. 

I loved the journey of Charlie and Alice. Starting with taking things slow and then falling in love. Just like Nan said, “Good things happen at the lake.”

This is an absolute must-add to anyone’s summer reading list! 

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for a free copy!

"Good things happen at the lake"

Thank you to Berkley for sending me an early copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

This book starts off with Alice at a point in her life where she needs a break and a change of scenery, so after her grandmother breaks her hip, Alice proposes they take a trip to Barry’s Bay for the summer. The summer is meant to be peaceful, a way to step back from the city and discover who she is. And then she meets Charlie, and while they had a rocky start (IYKYK), the two become quick friends with an undeniable chemistry. As Charlie helps Alice complete her Summer Bucket List, they can’t help but be reminded of the fact that the summer will eventually come to an end…

Carley Fortune has a way of making you feel like you are in the story. I was able to picture being in Barry’s Bay and being at the cottage with the characters. Everything is so descriptive that makes it feel comforting and warm and so genuine. I’m not just reading a story, I feel like I am a part of it, and that connection really helped me to fall in love with this book.

I was not a Charlie girl when reading Every Summer After, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book when it was announced because I didn’t know if I would even like Charlie…let me just say that my mind has been changed. This is for all of the girls whose love language is acts of service. I promise you this book will do wonders for you.. I literally cannot stop thinking about him with Alice. He is so thoughtful and handsome, and while he has his own baggage, he is just so perfect? And Alice! I felt like I understood her and who she was at 17 and who she was trying to be at the lake and felt so proud of her for setting boundaries and trying new things. She is absolutely a people pleaser, and her character grew so much from the start of the book, I was rooting for her and was just as in love with her as I was with Charlie.

Charlie and Alice had the perfect level of chemistry, and all of their interactions felt intentional and yet effortless and just so right. There were also so many platonic and familial relationships that were a feature of this book that made it so much more than just a good romance. Between rekindling old friendships and heartfelt moments between siblings and parents and grandmothers, this book has something for everyone.

I was trying to find something to critique about this book, and I genuinely could not find one thing that I disliked. You can see how much Carley Fortune has grown as an author from Every Summer After to now, and this book had so many nods to previous books which I really appreciated. The pacing was so well done, I did not feel rushed or like things were dragging on, and even the third act breakup felt appropriate for the story. This book was a 5/5 for me, and I highly recommend it.

One Golden Summer- The perfect follow up to Every Summer After and learning more about Charlie. This will make you feel like your a teenager on summer break trying to cath the eye of your first crush. It will give you all the summer feels and butterflies. Read this if you need a beach vacay! Out 5/6/25. Thank you @prhaudio for the gifted ALC and @berkleyromance for the free E-ARC. #berkleypartner

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4½✨⭐️
ONE GOLDEN SUMMER
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: contemporary romance
📖 400 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: ☀️🚤💕📸🥒👙📋🔥🌿🎆🌌🍉
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 5/6/2025

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ single POV
◽️ bucket lists
◽️ summer romances
◽️ choosing your own path

💙𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲💙

𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶. & 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵: 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘬𝘦.

𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥.

Thank you @berkleypub @prhaudio @netgalley for the #gifted copy!

I absolutely adored this! @carleyfortune ‘s descriptive writing swept me right into the heart of summer—sun-soaked lakes, dock dives, breezy boat rides, emotional memories, & the kind of nostalgia that feels like being wrapped in a warm hug 🤗 . It instantly transported me to my own favorite summer moments & made me crave long, lazy days by the water!

The slow burn romance between Alice & Charlie was beautifully done, full of chemistry & heart. While this can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading EVERY SUMMER AFTER first—you’ll appreciate the return of Sam & Percy even more ☺️ , I loved seeing their names on my pages again! At its core, this is a tender story about second chances, self discovery, & the family you choose. If you’re looking for a book to kick off your summer reading, this is the one!

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: Alice only spent 1 summer at Barry’s Bay with her grandmother, but it left a lasting imprint—especially the photo she took of 3 teens in a yellow speedboat. Now a professional photographer, Alice lives life from behind the lens, capturing others while feeling stuck herself. When her grandmother falls & needs care, Alice returns with her to the lake, hoping for a quiet, healing summer. But things change the moment Charlie Florek—older, bolder, & still in that yellow boat—reappears. As memories resurface & new sparks fly, Alice wonders if she’s finally ready to be seen, not just to see.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free book and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

One Golden Summer is the long anticipated follow up to Every Summer After. Charlie gets a story! This book can stand alone, but reading it will spoil Every Summer After, so as usual, I recommend reading in order.

When Charlie was 19, he sped around the lake in his family's yellow boat driving Sam and Percy. And 17-year-old Alice took a picture from across the lake, wishing she could join them. Now she's in her thirties and revisiting the lake with her grandmother.

I loved the way in which Alice, and ultimately Charlie, revisited life as a 17-year-old. It made me so nostalgic. And it's one of the only books with a bucket list that made me want to start one, too. The lake sounds like the most amazing place to getaway for the summer. And I love that it's the setting for this novel.

There are so many amazing themes that this book hits from growing old, to friendship and forgiveness, to family and the roles we play. It's an incredibly serious and emotional story that touched me deeply. I loved all of the characters and all of the ways that the journey to and through adulthood are explored. Nan particularly caught my heart. But I also enjoyed Alice's siblings and niece and, of course, getting to revisit Sam and Percy.

The prose is amazing. The way that we get the repeat of click for pictures capturing the moment was so powerful. And I appreciated the daily countdowns at the start of each chapter. Such incredible writing choices!

All of them were equally well captured in the audiobook format. AJ Bridel was phenomenal when performing Allie's voice. There was occasionally a weird note to her portrayal of Charlie's that sometimes made it hard to tell emotion. But, with the first person POV for Alice, I found that really minor. I loved the audiobook.

4.5 stars rounded up

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune (May 6, 2025) ☀️ Thank you to Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for the #gifted digital and audio copies of this emotional, sun-soaked stunner.

Seventeen years ago, Alice spent a life-changing summer in Barry’s Bay with her grandmother – a season that shaped her path as a photographer and gave her one unforgettable image: three friends on a yellow boat, gliding across the water. Now, she’s back in Barry’s Bay to care for her recovering grandmother and reconnect with the place that once held so much joy.
But the past collides with the present when she meets Charlie Florek – the man in the yellow boat. Confident, disarming, and somehow able to see right through her, Charlie and Alice begin a new kind of summer, one full of emotional discovery, longing, laughter (fueled by Alice’s summer bucket list) and the question of what comes after the sunset fades.

This is Charlie Florek’s redemption arc, and if you, like me, are an Every Summer After fan, it’s a beautiful companion piece. While he wasn’t a villain in ESA, he wasn’t the hero either – and this is the story of reckoning with lots of what we learned in ESA. Charlie is flirty, funny, and heartbreakingly vulnerable. Alice is complex, driven, and undergoing a transformation of her own. Their chemistry is magnetic, but what truly shines is their emotional honesty.

And yes—Sam and Percy make an appearance. 😊

🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: AJ Bridel returns and crushes it. Her narration is so vivid and emotionally layered that I swore it was a dual performance. Her portrayal of Charlie – his swagger, his charm, and the tenderness underneath – made this my favorite Carley Fortune audiobook yet (and I LOVED This Summer will be Different). (Runtime: 9h+)

I have had a love hate relationship with Carley Fortune books but when they hit, they hit hard. I thought this was a for sure hit since it’s a spin-off of my favorite novel by her. Turns out, I don’t think this book is my taste. The biggest turn off was the immaturity of the main characters. They are in their mid thirties and acting like teenagers. After so much I just didn’t enjoy it anymore. On top of that, the characters did not seem to have chemistry and the book was overall fairly boring. So unfortunate, because I thought this would be one I loved for sure.

Charlie Florek and Alice Everly, what a match, but they are just friends… or at least that’s what they tell each other during their summer at the lake. Nan is in recovery, and Alice takes on role of caregiver for her grandmother but they need a change of scenery which takes them to the lake. This book brings joy and laughter and nostalgia of summer adventures as a teen, though Alice is about to turn 33, her bucket list drives the summer. Riveting, emotional, a depth and a breadth to it, and that’s not talking about the lake!!

An absolutely perfect summer read! One Golden Summer feels like summer and nostalgia were bound directly into the pages.

We’re back in Barry’s Bay, but this time with Alice Everly who had spent one summer in Barry’s Bay when she was seventeen. Alice remembers longing to belong with the 3 teenagers from across the bay who spent their summer smiling and laughing in the glistening sunshine. Now at 33, Alice is back at the lake with her Nan and yearning for a 17 again type summer. Cue Charlie Florek - the frustrating but devastatingly handsome neighbor who’s been tasked to help Alice and her Nan at their cottage for the summer. Charlie Florek is the exact type of guy Alice normally stays away from - flirtatious, cocky, and unapologetically himself - so why is she feeling so drawn to him and his striking green eyes? You’ll have to read to find out!!!

I absolutely DEVOURED this book!!! Alice and Charlie’s chemistry is unreal and the banter and tension are perfect. One Golden Summer had me literally giggling and kicking my feet. Just like Alice, you feel like you’re 17 again, enjoying the summer with your best friend (and crush?!)!!!! Like I can’t get over how perfectly cozy and nostalgic this book felt.

Also, if your love language is acts of service, you’re going to loooove One Golden Summer. Alice and Charlie are truly the definition of “to be loved is to be seen” and boy did I feel SEEEEEEN through their characters.

One Golden Summer is truly everything you’d want from a summer romance and an absolute must read!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Berkeley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy of One Golden Summer in exchange for my honest review.

Carly fortune is one of my favorite authors hands down. Each book is more perfect than the last. I loved everything about this book.