I didn't want One Golden Summer to end. Carley Fortune did it again! I adored everything about this book. Per usual, Carley did a phenomenal job creating an atmospheric read. The Barry's Bay setting felt immersive and familiar. The setting played an important role for the characters, especially Alice. Charlie and Alice were great main characters. Alice was going through a rough patch, and I enjoyed watching her come back to life at the lake. I liked her bucket list and her willingness to push herself outside her comfort zone. Out of the two MC's, Charlie was the star of the show! He was hilarious. His first exchanges with Alice had me giggling. Charlie was sweet, charming, and layered. Like Alice, Charlie was also going through some hardships. It was beautiful watching them fall in love and grow with each other. I wasn't surprised by Charlie's struggles...especially after reading Every Summer After. If you read closely, Carley gives some clues to what's happening with him. What made this book a five-star read was the romance between Charlie and Alice. Their chemistry was through the roof! I loved their friendship and relationship. I liked that Charlie and Alice understood each other. Charlie baking Alice a cake and hanging up on her family was everything😭They were a perfect match for each other. The main side characters were Percy, Sam, and Nan. I enjoyed the snippets we got of Percy and Sam. I was happy with how their life was going. Nan was my favorite side character. I liked her sass and wisdom. I loved her relationship with Charlie. If I had to nitpick anything, it would be about Alice's nightmares. I felt like that was randomly thrown into the story and nothing ever came of it. Overall, this was another hit out of the ballpark. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

I found this book super emotional. I am a professional photographer and have been where Alice has been in feeling like your creativity has been taken away by outside forces. And the family stuff was terrific. I loved being back in Barry’s Bay. Charlie and Alice were really good main characters. I love watching Charlie fight his feelings. I was just weeping at the end of this book.

Read this if you like:
•friends to lovers
•forced proximity
•summer vibes

Every Summer After was THE book of summer a few years ago. Well, buckle up friends, because this is THE book of summer of 2025. And dare I say…. I might like this one a tad bit more than Every Summer After. One Golden Summer follows Alice in Barry’s Bay. Her story intertwines with Charlie. They have instant chemistry. They see through each others BS. And they fall into fast friendship - both bringing relationship baggage to the table and not wanting to cross that line. As the summer goes on, their shields go down and they begin opening up to each other. And Nan, Alice’s grandmother is the bomb.com. I love a sassy meddling grandma. This book is chefs kiss. The summer nostalgia this book brings gives me so much joy. It’s an ode to childhood but at the same time exploring how you can relive that in your 30s, which hits home for me. You will not want to miss this one!! It’ll be out May 6. Thank you Berkley for eARC!!

Everything Carly Fortune writes is literally amazing to me. But this book. This book was unlike the rest of them. I truly could not put this down.

I absolutely loved Charlie’s character and Alice’s and I am a mess that I finished this book.

I don’t believe I’ve loved a book couple nearly as much as them in A VERY LONG TIME. The banter, the longing and the storyline. Just incredible

Absolutely no notes. 100000/5

This will be my #1 all of 2025

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!!

SLOW CLAP FOR CHARLIE FLOREK

oh my god this book was incredible! since the moment i finished every summer after i KNEW i needed a charlie HEA more than i needed air, and we finally have it!

this book was so fun and flirty but also deeply romantic, yet also somber and heartbreaking?? the duality of a romance book!

charlie and alice were everything to me! their dynamic was so perfect. they surprised each other and complemented each other and understood each other like no other!!! i was so enthralled by their friendship that slowly turned into something more, which neither of them expected or were prepared for. i love it when love sneaks up on our main characters, and it was just as angsty and mutual pining-y (? stay with me here folks) as you would have expected.

this was the perfect summer romance with the perfect summer fling and i just loved every second of it!

thank you Berkley Romance and Netgalley for this earc! it's out everywhere on 5/6

Alice Everly is the good daughter, the safe one, a natural caretaker who gives too much of herself to others only to have her heart broken. Hoping to leave behind her anxiety over the path her career as a photographer has taken and hurt over her break up Alice decides to take her grandmother to the lake house that changed her life when she was a seventeen year old girl.

Charlie Florek has a reputation around the lake, he’s the older brother who still doesn’t believe he’s worthy of love or forgiveness, the man who doesn’t do long-term. When Alice and Charlie meet their attraction is instantaneous, but neither are looking for a relationship. That doesn’t mean they can’t have some casual summer fun, right?

Alice and Charlie’s slow burn road to friends to lovers was angsty and beautiful. I loved their banter, the endless flirting, and the way they were able to share their deepest insecurities with each other and without fear of judgement.

One Golden Summer is the long awaited follow up to Every Summer After in which Charlie finally gets his own happy ending. It is also now officially my favorite Carley Fortune’s book ever.

I didn't think I needed Charlie's story until I read it, but I'm really glad Carley Fortune gave us a book devoted to him, introduced us to Alice, and let us catch up with Percy and Sam.

This one took me a little bit to get in to, but I also think it had to do with Every Summer After being my favorite book of Carley's, and Alice and Charlie's summer together, is very different than the journey readers were taken on with Percy and Sam. Alice is back at Barry's Bay with her grandmother as she rehabs from surgery, for the first time since she was 17. Getting into photography as she spent her summer there, she snapped a photo of Percy, Sam, and Charlie on their boat. Charlie is helping to take care of the house they are staying in, and she is surprised to learn that Charlie was the boy in her photo all of those years ago.

As Alice and Charlie spend time together, while they are attracted to each other, Charlie keeps her at arms length for most of the summer, and I loved the slow burn romance that was developing between the two of them. Alice may be my favorite character that Carley has written. She was incredibly relatable, always putting everyone else first and doing what she thought was best, not what she always wanted to do. I loved that her summer away gave her the chance to grow, find her voice, and do things that she wanted to do.

I kept waiting to find out the reason why Charlie wouldn't let Alice fully in, and when it came, it definitely threw me for a loop. It was nice to see Charlie in a different light and get to know him as more than the flirty guy he started the book as and was presented as in Every Summer After.

4.25⭐️ Thank you to Berkley for the e-ARC!! 🩵
I really enjoyed this one - I found it to be super bingeable and just a great summer read. All of Carley’s books are so perfect for the summer, and even though I read this one in the spring, it was still just as good! I haven’t read Every Summer After since it came out, but I absolutely loved it when I did. It was so fun to get Charlie’s story and meet Alice while also getting some Percy & Sam cameos!
All in all this was such a great read - I always have a great time reading this author’s books and will be awaiting her next one!!

This was great! I have loved all of Carley’s books and her newest was no exception. Such nice summery atmospheric reads. I very much enjoyed going back to Berry’s Bay and seeing Charlie as well as Percy and Sam again. I related to the FMC Alice so much. It was a solid 4 stars for me, until the last 10% bumping it to 4.5 stars. The end was had a different feel to it- but was well done and worked out better than I anticipated. Didn’t upgrade to a 5 stars fully because while I have nothing negative to say- I wasn’t obsessed with it. No tears shed which is a recent new requirement for a five stars. Still a wonderful book! I did a Bookstagram review post on this and the link is below.

I know it’s not summer yet, but it’s never too early to read summer books and you need to make sure One Golden Summer is on your list! This book has so much life in it and is incredibly immersive with all the descriptive imagery. Carley truly knows how to take your feelings and captive them within the pages. This book specifically felt so nostalgic and human.

Charlie Florek!! Alice Everly!! They deserve all the happiness in the world. I loved seeing them find solace and peace in each other. Their interactions were full of chemistry and humor, laying the foundation for their growing trust in the other. I also loved seeing Sam and Percy again (my babies 😭😭)

What really stands out to me is how Carley masterfully gives each character a distinct personality, making them feel authentic with their own voices and quirks that add depth to the story. She truly does such a wonderful job at representing each character and their experiences. It really makes you feel every single emotion that they do. I could easily relate to both Alice and Charlie as I was falling in love with both of them.

By the end, I wanted to laugh and cry because everything just wrapped up so beautifully. Carley, you have outdone yourself again and perfectly captured all the warm, romantic, nostalgic vibes of summer <3 good things happen at the lake 💫

thank you Berkley Romance and Netgalley for an early copy!! I’m ready for summer to arrive 🧚

Loved going back to the lake.

This is a quick summer read, not serious even though I wish it was. I love the setting and spending the summer with grandma for her recovery but I really wish that the story had more feels.

I still liked it and would suggest it for the summer read

Sound the alarms because we have the first summer beach read of the season! I am a Carley Fortune fan, so if she writes it, I will read it. One Golden Summer was her first contemporary romance that was 1) interconnected with another book (Every Sumer After) and 2) not a second chance romance.

I was really excited for this book because I have loved all of her other books, and because I was pumped to see the return of playboy older brother Charlie Florek from the first book. Finally redemption for Charlie, who doesn’t get the best narrative in book 1. Charlie is now older and wiser, and meets Alice, a people pleasing middle child who is coming to the lake for a second time with her grandmother (Nan), who is in a bit of a rut after getting her hip replaced.

What did I enjoy about this book? Charlie and Alice grow so much as characters, and a lot of that growth comes from challenging each other. I LOVED both Charlie and Alice’s relationship with Nan, and the way they all took care of each other when they needed it most. We get so much Sam & Percy, and a lot more backstory on the Florek family.

This book was a solid 4-4.25 star for me. I loved the ending, but I thought that a lot of the emotional depth for Charlie came in the last 20% of the book, and I wish he had opened up a bit more earlier. The pacing was a bit wonky for me, so it took me longer to finish then I anticipated. I think readers are going to eat this up, and once again, after finishing a Carley Fortune book, I would like to move to Canada.

I was thrilled to get this earc because I love Carley Fortune and all her books - this one is no exception. My only comment is that I wish this was from Charlie's POV or at least had dual POV. This book was such a cozy, feel good read that had me mentally escaping my long winter to a summer in my head.

Definitely going to be recommending this book to everyone. I can't wait for her next one!

This book made me crave the summer!!

Photographer Alice returns to Barry’s Bay for a summer with her grandmother, only to find her past waiting for her in the form of Charlie Florek. He was once the boy in the yellow boat!

I absolutely could not put this book down.

Charlie completely stole my heart with
way he carries his losses while still holding onto hope. I was desperate for him to get the love story he deserved and he definitely did!!

The slow burn and opposite attract tropes were done so well!

This is a beautifully written story about second chances and nostalgia.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the free ARC.

♾️🌟

I don't even know where to begin. this story was raw, longing, addictive and rare. I can't stop thinking about Alice and Charlie, their time together at the lake was beyond everything I hoped when reading the blurb. I highly recommend reading this book as this is easily one of my favourite books of 2025. I can't even fathom how obsessed I am with this book. The characters were effortlessly flawed in such a good way. Percy and Sam crumbs was perfect.

I've always loved Carley's writing. It's so open and rare in so many ways. We get a feel for these characters the second you open the book. Her writing style is so unique and never once was I was bored or felt like things were getting longed out.

Nan was a dream to read about. I was so amazed at how wise and yet flawed she was. It's so rare to see that in novels and Carley executed it perfectly. The relationship with Nan and Charlie was breathtaking, it almost feels like I was there watching those three form such a strong bond that we could only wish in today's world.

Her characters internal monologues and how she represented their experiences, struggles and trauma, affects how their experiences impact on those around them espeically Alice with her family.

It was so well written and each emotion i felt whilst reading the book. Charlie Florek and Alice Everly were both a joy to read about, they weren't perfect but they were perfect for each other. It was so easy to wrap yourself into their love story and watching them both fall for each other.

thank you so much Berkley and netgalley for the eARC!

"i could never regret you. you might be the biggest surprise of my life, alice."

I so enjoyed returning to Barry's Bay with One Golden Summer! I am notorious for forgetting almost everything about a book after I finish reading, but how could I forget the big brother in Every Summer After?!

I've now read enough (ok all!) of Carley Fortune's books to be prepared for the way this would make me LONG for summer. This was the perfect book to usher in warmer weather because I wanted to swim, boat and escape the people pleaser life just like Alice.

This book is a romance and yes, the characters have amazing chemistry and you will fall in love with how Charlie interacts with every single female in this book, young and old. But it's also about Alice's growth as a person. I loved her bucket list and career arc just as much as I enjoyed the love story.

I quickly devoured this in a few sittings, equal parts enjoying the ride and scared of the inevitable drop. But it moved me to tears in the end. Another incredible book from Carley Fortune!

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the free copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had no idea this was a sequel to Every Summer After (one of my favorite romances!), but I was so happy to be back in Barry’s Bay. I honestly can’t decide which book I loved more—I just know this one completely pulled me in. The fantastic banter, angst, nostalgia, and found family elements made for such an incredible reading experience. It pained me to put the book down, and I couldn’t wait to pick it up again. I loved watching both characters evolve, as well as the bonds between the side characters—Alice’s grandmother, Percy, and Sam when they enter the story. Such an amazing book, and I can’t wait for others to read it

"𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘬." We are first introduced to Charlie Florek in 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 (Barry's Bay #1), and I wasn't sure I needed a whole book about him. I was wrong. I absolutely loved this book.

Charlie- the unabashed flirt hiding an insecure side.
Alice- the photographer who finally pushes her boundaries.
Friendships and family/found family
Summer nostalgia
The wittiest banter
Authentic and vulnerable moments
Chemistry (2 1/2 )
Friends to lovers
Forced proximity
Text messages
Bucket lists
Summer as neighbors at the lake (Canada)
A perfect ending.

From the first page the story and characters were nestled into my heart. In my mind was a vivid amalgam of every lake/cottage/cabin that has been part of my life.This story was like a big, warm hug.

Oh my heart! This book was exactly what I needed for a perfect beach read. I didn’t realize how much I craved Alice and Charlie’s love story. I went into this book knowing little about the author and that it was intertwined with her other book, but I was not disappointed in the least. It took me about 15% into the story to really get invested, but once I did, I wholeheartedly loved it.

Alice and Charlie’s love story was beautifully written I adored Nan as a secondary character and loved the bond that developed between Charlie and Nan. Some of their scenes made me smile. I also loved how Alice rediscovered her passion for photography while at the lake. The author’s writing made it easy to love all of the characters and believe that good things happen at the lake.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Berkley Publishing Group for my copy

first off i want to thank Carly Fortune, Netgalley and Berkley Romance for an early copy of this amazing book!!!
SOOO HAPPY TO HAVE GOTTEN A CHARLIE BOOK!!!!

this starts out with Alice feeling lost after a breakup and not loving her work as much. her Nan has to get hip surgery and when she was over her Nans house to help out she stumbled, across a photo she took at 17. She remembered how that photo made her want to continue taking pictures as her career and her being at the lake made her feel more herself. She then suggested to Nan to spend the summer there together while she heals from her surgery. As she went back to the lake she meets Charlie but as she looks across the lake and sees that yellow boat she knew that she saw him at 17 years old. at first they started flirting but Alice didn’t “know” that he was flirting with her because she was not use to it happening to her. But as time went on Charlie and Alice spent the summer together and they wanted to cross things off of Alice bucket list for the summer. to have a 17 year old summer again. Nan was a big part of their story and i just loved how Nan help Alice realize that who makes her laugh the most and make her laugh her real witch laugh is a keeper. Charlie was going through a really rough year and Alice was having trouble finding herself. they helped eachother and fell for one another in the best way. there definitely was a hiccup in the relationship but at the end it was clear as day they were meant for each other🥹🫶🏻 i loved how comfortable and trusting they both were with one another and how they made eachother better!!! i love these books so much🤍