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.

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!