Ugh! I wanted to love this book because Every Summer After was so good! But Alice and Charlie raged me so much!! It was a fun book and I did enjoy it but I have to give it 3 stars because of the anger they caused me! I do wish that the book wasn’t just told from Alice’s point of view. I would have loved to be in Charlie’s mind also and this might have made me less angry with him being so back and forth!! 💕

TikTok review will be posted end of April.

There were lots of beautiful, heartfelt, and heartbreaking moments. This one didn’t work for me in a number of ways— 1. Alice drove me crazy in her primness. 2. The miscommunication between the two MCs felt so implausible. 3. The lead up to the steamy scenes seemed to take forever. 4. There were just too many plot points that seemed to swing from one extreme to the other. It made it hard to stay rooted in the book. 5. Charlie was lovely but seemed way too good to be true. 6. Some of the lines were just very cheesy :(
I think this was a beautiful book but was a bit too heavy handed for me.

Oh, how I’ve longed for a story about Charlie. And now it’s finally here! It was so comforting to be back in Barry’s Bay. Once again, I adored the lakeside vibes Carley captures so expertly in her writing. It’s balmy, atmospheric, and somehow so nostalgic, even though I’ve never actually been there.

Alice is spending the summer with her nan at a cottage in Barry’s Bay. And of course, she runs into the charming, unapologetic flirt (my weakness!!!) that is Charlie Florek. Gosh, I’m beyond smitten. Their relationship felt like bottled sunshine. I loved the playful banter, the soft slow-burn as they attempt to remain “just friends,” and that innocent, summer vacation giddiness that makes them feel like teenagers again.

Seeing Alice go all in while Charlie slowly unpacks the insecurities he’s been carrying ... I loved them! It’s sweet, summery, and pretty low angst. A perfect beach read, really! I didn’t care much for the photography bits, and I think I wanted just a little something more to push it into five-star territory, but it was still so enjoyable! It left me feeling so warm and happy.

This is so good. Like Every Summer After so good. I adored Charlie and Alice. I laughed. I smiled. And I cried.

I loved the depth of the story, for both Alice and Charlie. It felt like more then a summer romance but still the perfect beach read

All the stars for Carley Fortune! I predict this is going to be the “IT” book for Summer 2025. Put it in your beach bag and delight yourself with loveable characters, witty banter, and a swoon worthy romance. I loved every word!

my zillow alerts are currently cluttered with barry’s bay cabins - why? because one golden summer has me in a permanent chokehold, and i fear my only escape is a one-way ticket to barry’s bay.

after the emotional rollercoaster of every summer after, we’re finally back in barry’s bay to get the story we’ve been waiting for - charlie’s. i felt every emotion humanely possible while reading this masterpiece. i turned red with embarrassment, giggled at the flirty banter, kicked and screamed with excitement, and cried my heart out.

our main girl alice spends her summer at barry’s bay with her grandmother to not just get over a break-up, but to find herself again. she embarks on a quest of self-discovery and makes a list of fun activities to cross off her list, and who better to help her than the hot and sexy boy next door - charlie.

aside from the flirty banter and undeniable chemistry with alice and charlie, one golden summer had thoughtful themes that served as important reminders for me at this time in my life.
1. learn from our mistakes, but don’t let it define us
2. it’s never too late for self-discovery
3. don’t take life too seriously

if you haven’t started your carley fortune journey, what the hell are you waiting for?thank you net galley and berkley for this INCREDIBLE e-arc! i am so blessed!

Yayyyyyy! Back to Barry’s Bay! I loved it! It took me a minute to get back into romance reading mode, but once the playful banter started I was in LOVE! I knewwwwwwww there would be a “third act breakup” or whatever you want to call it and of course it made me angry! But, it gets you reading faster to get that HEA you know is coming and you feel the characters deserve! Omg I just love Charlie and Alice they are so complementary to each other being opposite and similar in just the right ways!!! Carley has me wanting to go to Canada again 😂 I’d only survive in the Summer though… 🥰🥰🥰🥹 another beautiful and amazing romance story and I loved it!!!!!!

Carly Fortune is 4 for 4 on 5 star reads for me!!! What a fabulous love story! I absolutely adored Charlie and Alice and how their relationships builds throughout this one summer at the lake. It's a slow burn that's perfect in every way. I love the banter between all the characters and the love that Percy and Sam have for Charlie and the all of Alice's family has for her. So well done!

I’m not gonna lie I didn’t know if I was going to like this book or not. However, I found Charlie and Alice’s story to be so sweet, real and captivating. This is a perfect summer romance. It was raw, and the depth to Charlie was so nice to see. Really just such a good book and I loved it from start to finish!

CARLEY FORTUNE DOES NOT MISS
If this book is not summer/radiate summer then nothing does!!

Let it be known that I knew this book would be 5 Starts within the first 10% and here is why:Alice and
- Charlie's first conversation... KICKING my feet!
- Charlie Florek... thats it, the note he left on the fridge... immediate YES - hes unapologetic and so flirty and does not care and i was melting on a puddle dead for this fictional man, okay - the charm, - the witt, the confidence!!
- the vivid scenic imagery of the lake and barry's bay - it made me want to be at my family lake asap -it was nostalgic AF (maybe it hits harder if you're Canadian idk)
- a BUCKET LIST - you know this is always a good plot point if done well and it was!!
- THE BANTER - this is top tier levels i fear, may be OFF the charts!!

Now for the rest of the story, buckle up i have things to add:
- pickles are a big story line and you'll understand this when you read it
- Charlies ability to help no matter what, even if he doesnt realize it, is really beautiful. He's an acts of service type of man. He helps with the buckle list because he wants to and it is just UGH its so good
- percy and sam sightings!!!
- the simmering tension between these two is astounding - their draw to one another just flys off the pages - they become friends and they slowly find so much comfort in one another without realizing it, nothing is forced because it happens to naturally and its so incredibly cute to watch Alice and Charlie slowly trust and open up to one another
- I danced when they kissed, literally
- pickles, chocolate cake, houses, grandma, pegasus unicorn
- I loved the parallel of how they both see themselves in such different light and they’re both struggling with who they should be or who they can be now
- we have a "fu** it" moment!!
- the dark roooommm!!! ;)
- the content that comes out of Charlie's mouth will have your jaw on the FLOOR - no joking here.
we know what the issue is going to be at the end of the book, it is made very clear from the beginning and that is why I wasn't mad about a third act breakup - but the process is heartbreaking and i sobbed like a little baby at the end
- Carley really hits us in the heart strings at the end of the book but i love the way it came around and i love the resolution of the book and Alice & Charlie's story

Overall, i essentially died over the entire plot. it was pure perfection. I was smirking the entire time i read this book. I ate it up. the obsession for Alice and Charlie can not be understated.
I love this book (as you can probably tell)

Fave Quotes:
"remember... good things happen at the lake"
" he says my name like nobody else has. Like it tastes better than other names.”
" you might be the biggest surprise in my life, Alice,”
" You’re worth it, Charlie. Whether you believe it or not."

Thank you Berkley Romance for the ARC!

Just delightful. Fortune is one of my favorite romance writers because everything is so easy to imagine; beautiful, heartwarming, so funny. This was a treat.

One Golden Summer is probably the it girl of summer 2025. She has a little bit of everything: finding yourself, passion, love, forced proximity, summer bucket list, family dynamics, friendship, nostalgia, and ultimately seeing yourself for who you are.

This follow up to Every Summer After takes place three years later. It is SOO good (highly recommend rereading ESA first because it will hit so much harder). I wasn’t sure how Alice could compare to Percy as a FMC, but she didn’t need to be compared because she was lovely in her own way! Watching Charlie and her through the summer at the lake was truly the perfect pacing! It wouldn’t be a trip to Barry’s Bay without Percy and Sam, and reading about them again was as cozy as a warm cup of tea.

I binged this book in 24 hours. I was lost in the story, the visual setting and, of course, the characters! Carley Fortune proves you can write an unexpected sequel and smash it out of the park! Truly, the stories just tie together so well. They are the perfect summer duology.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

~Good things happen at the lake.~
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Every time Carley Fortune writes another book I think “this is her best book.” I think this might be her best book yet.
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In One Golden Summer we get Alice and Charlie’s story.
Alice returns to the lake with her Grandmother to help her recover from a recent fall. Charlie’s at the lake taking some time away from his job. Charlie is Sam’s brother!! 😍
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The sparks are flying in this one and the chemistry is oh so good. I loved that we get to hang out with Percy and Sam again and Alice’s grandma was a fun added character. The lake setting, of course, is perfection.
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This is a MUST read for summer! It’s going to be a big hit.
Thank you netgalley and Berkley for the opportunity to read and review this book!
5 stars!!

Carly’s best work yet! I loved loved loved this Charlie and Alice love story - such a redemption arc for our favorite, but flawed, older brother from Carly’s first book. I loved the banter and emotional growth of these two and will be recommending to all my friends!

Thank you Berkley for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

If Carley Fortune has no fans, I am dead. I’m a little in disbelief that I am finished with her latest book because I look forward to her new book each and every year. In short, I love Charlie Florek. If you haven’t read Every Summer After, you may not know this character yet. He’s been hotly debated online but personally, I love him forever and always. He is charming, he is funny, he is magnetic, he is emotional. I was so happy to get his story and meet Alice at the same time. I could really relate to Alice and seeing Barry’s Bay from her point of view felt familiar since I am an outsider to that world. Overall, this book just WORKED for me and I will forever be a fan.

Synopsis:

“Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true. Alice spent just one summer there at a cottage with Nan when she was seventeen—it’s where she took that photo, the one of three grinning teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that changed her life.Now Alice lives behind a lens. As a photographer, she’s most comfortable on the sidelines, letting other people shine. Lately though, she’s been itching for something more, and when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice comes up with a plan for them both: another summer in that magical place, Barry’s Bay. But as soon as they settle in, their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat, and the man driving it.Charlie Florek was nineteen when Alice took his photo from afar. Now he’s all grown up—a shameless flirt, who manages to make Nan laugh and Alice long to be seventeen again, when life was simpler, when taking pictures was just for fun. Sun-slanted days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart.Because Alice sees people—that’s why she is so good at what she does—but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Setting—The lake! Summer! Nostalgia and newness. I loved it all. I grew up in New England but have spent so much time in the Adirondacks, I’ve become a lake lover. There’s just something about a lake house and a lake town.

The Characters—Alice and Charlie are amazing, I loved getting glimpses of Sam and Percy. I loved meeting Nan and Alice’s extended family.

The Pacing—I read this book in less than 24 hours because Carley’s writing just works for my brain. But I also loved how the story moved, it made me want to keep reading and I didn’t touch my phone at all.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Pace of the Ending—There’s always a little mystery/conflict that has you guessing throughout a Carley book, so when we finally had the grand reveal, things didn’t feel rushed but I just wanted a bit more discovery into it.

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: 2.5/5 Overall Rating: 5/5

Content Warnings:

death of a parent, car accident, medical content

I love a good summer read and that’s exactly what this is! Cute guy, girl getting over a breakup who thinks he’s too good looking for his own good and a grandmother who thinks is there might be more to him than her granddaughter is willing to believe. Summer moves along and things progress, but is it just a fling or is it more? Do either of them want more?
So much fun, I didn’t want to put it down!
Thank you Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing Group for the digital ARC!

Alice spends her life behind a lense. She loves her job but has been itching to step out from the sidelines lately. When her grandmother takes a fall Alice comes up with a plan. They’re going to spend another golden summer together in Barry’s Bay. Where good things happen.

I’ve been waiting for this sequel for two years and let me tell you it was worth the wait. Easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

Personally I really enjoyed watching Alice character growth through the summer. Exploring and living in the now. Obviously the romance is great, slow burn in the best way.

I love the summer vibes, cottage setting, callbacks to Every summer after, Alice family and especially her grandmother.

Read this if you like
💙Friends to lovers
☀️Summer romance
🫶🏼Found family
🌼Character growth & healing

I don’t think I will ever not love a Carley Fortune book. There is just something about each of them that just gets me. I am so excited that she decided to write Charlie’s story and I loved him so much!!

Alice was not my favorite. I thought she was a little unnecessarily mean in the beginning and I hated how she treated her grandmother with kiddy gloves no matter how many times she asked her not too. She did grow on me though! Around the 20% mark was where I started to like her.

Perfect summer read as always! And I already can’t wait for the next Carley book💖

One Golden Summer feels like sunshine and nostalgia in the form of a novel. Alice decides to taker her grandmother back to the lake she took Alice to as a teenager to help her recuperate after a hip replacement. While there, she has a meet-cute moment with Charlie Florek: the boy driving a yellow boat in her favorite picture she’s ever photographed. They establish a friendship where he will help her cross off items on her summer bucket list and she’ll let him join her in her “seventeen year old summer.” The tension that builds between the two could be cut with a knife, as they flirt and banter with the ease of life on the lake as their background. Charlie digs his heels in over forming a romantic relationship with Alice that could be seen past the summer, but Alice’s photography from the summer becomes substantial proof of what really is happening, because “good things happen at the lake.” Swoon-worthy and heated, One Golden Summer is the perfect summer-time read.

Another FIVE star read by the wonderful Carley Fortune.
I have never wanted to spend a summer at lake, until I read this masterpiece! The way I felt immersed into this story was unreal.
I had a connection to each and every character.
I laughed, I cried, and I loved…🫠😍