When Alice’s Grandmother has to have surgery, Alice notices she is really down. She has the perfect idea, a summer at the shore will cheer here up, and it might just be what Alice needs as well. Her career as a photographer began at the lake, and she is feeling like she needs a reminder of what she truly wants. She did not expect Charlie Florek though. She certainly did not expect one of the men in the photo that started her career to become such a good friend…or maybe more?

AHHH back at the lake with the Florek boys!!! I was so excited when I saw this one would be Charlie’s story! I really enjoyed Alice’s goal to get back to what really made her happy and what she wanted for her life. Having studied photography, I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. When she was working in the darkroom all the college memories came flooding back! I miss the darkroom so much, though I am sure the chemicals can’t be that good for us. I also loved how much Charlie cared for and truly saw Alice. I also really want a treehouse now, so if anyone can make that happen, please let me know!

Thank you to @berkleypub for my gifted copy of this book!

"Were you expecting me?"
"You were the last thing that I expected." - Charlie Florek

THIS BOOK. Carley's writing style and storytelling always hits home. This book was EVERYTHING. I knew I loved Charlie after Every Summer After, but I fell in love with One Golden Summer Charlie. This book showed so many nuances to his character, and perfectly portrayed someone who deflects real feelings with being the flirty playboy type. There was so much depth to this, and I also related hard to the FMC, Alice, who always says she's fine but in reality would love for someone to swoop in and help her anway. Charlie and Alice are the perfect pair, and their story was so impactful without your tradtional HEA epilogue with a marriage and a baby. This book truly makes you realize how precious life is, and how the little things are the things that truly mean the most.

I have tried reading this several times and just can't get into it. The beginning seems to move so quickly that i just dont understand where we even are (and the fact that Im not paying attention because its boring). It felt like an accumulation of disjointed paragraphs were just pushed together and wasn't coherently blended. I might pick this up again later but as of right now it's not interesting to me at all.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read One Golden Summer! I absolutely adored this book. It exceeded all of my expectations and has easily become my favorite romance novel.

The chemistry between the characters was incredible. The flirting and banter had me completely hooked, and I couldn’t get enough. Charlie might just be my new favorite book boyfriend! Beyond the romance, I also loved how emotional the story was. The unexpected twist hit me in a way I didn’t see coming, and Alice felt so real. I saw parts of myself in her, and the nostalgia in this book made me long for experiences I wish I had at 17.

I truly didn’t want this book to end. If I could rate it six stars, I would! Thank you again for the eARC. I can’t wait to share my love for this book with my audience.

(i would maybe not read this review if you haven’t read every summer after/don’t want some of this series’ dynamics spoiled!)

this was good. i think the read was ALMOST completely removed from the first book (a book i couldn’t put down) because it’s been so long since i’ve read it. i forgot who charlie was! i think it may be impossible to read this book and not fall a little in love with him.

that said, once i re-read my review for every summer after, and refreshed myself on what had gone down, i was a little upset with him. i got over it though.

this was very well-written. excellent setup, pacing - it’s quite good. would recommend to people new to carley fortune and those returning!

Have you ever wanted to bottle up that happy feeling after reading a book so you could just keep that feeling forever?! Because YEAH that was me with this book & I truly never wanted it to end.

I felt such a strong connection to Charlie after reading Every Summer After and wanted him to get the story he deserved / needed.

This book had all the makings of a perfect cozy romcom - The tranquil small town setting, forced proximity, summer vibes and ALL the tension and banter BUT in the end this book turned out to be so much more.

Carley has a true talent for immersing readers in her stories. I seriously felt like I had escaped for a holiday in Barry’s Bay.

Alice was such a breath of fresh air. She had so many characteristics that were relatable and reflective for readers. She was strong, brave, determined but also showed a vulnerable and softer side and it was so beautiful to see her come into her own. Coming from a fellow “turtle” I think it’s so special when a book can make you look introspectively at your own life

Our Charlie is so complex and multi layered. He’s been through so much and made some mistakes but I think we could all see there was something special under it all. I think this book conveys the depths of grief and its role it plays at such a pivotal age in people’s lives.

There was an instant spark & chemistry between Alice and Charlie but I loved the realistic foundation they created as friends first and how their relationship evolved

I adored the snippets of Percy and Sam and the squad all back together. But also loved that it didn’t overpower to plot or take away from Charlie & Alice’s story

This book was pure nostalgia and made you feel a wide range of emotions throughout. I cried, I giggled, I swooned, I was kicking my feet, I got frustrated and angry. I felt it all & it was amazing

Carley Fortune books just feeeeeel like summer. The vibes are immaculate and make me want to immediately book a cabin by a lake for the entire summer.

I’m not usually a slow burn fan but the slow burn between Alice and Charlie in One Golden Summer is *chefs kiss.* I was OBSESSED with their banter, the tension, the swooning, the laughter, the heart.

I also loved getting to return to Barry’s Bay and see more of Sam and Percy, who I fell in love with during Every Summer After. It was cute getting to see another side of them, and also the Easter eggs in this book are so fun.

I both inhaled One Golden Summer and tried to go slow to soak it up; I didn’t want it to end! This is the perfect summer read.

I was really looking forward to this given how much I've loved Fortune's other books. It was exactly what I thought it would be- cute, friends to lovers, and an enjoyable easy read. I didn't find myself turning the pages as quickly as her other books but still enjoyed nonetheless.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I cannot express how excited I was when I heard Fortune was going to write Charlie's story. I wasn't a lover of Charlie when I read Every Summer After, but I knew there had to be more to him than I saw in that book. I knew Charlie need his own HEA. And boy was I right! Warning, though, if you have not read the first book, I do not recommend jumping right into this one. The background the first book provides is pretty critical to who Charlie is and also to his relationship with his brother, Sam, and Percy. You wouldn't be lost, perse, but you would not completely understand the dynamics at work.
This book picks up a few years after Every Summer After. It's summer once again and the lake is bustling. Alice Everly decides she is in need a break from life. Her grandmother, Nan, is recovering from surgery, her photography career is not going as she planned, and she's still struggling to get over her most recent break up. What better place to relax and rejuvenate than Barry's Bay! Alice has fond memories of the place and the photo that launched her photography career was taken there the summer of her 17th birthday. She's expecting to go there and feel what she once felt for her photography, what she's not expecting is Charlie Florek.
Alice is a great character. She's well developed and completely relatable. I really enjoyed watching her find herself at the lake. She arrives with only the thought that she must help her Nan get better but that's not all that happens. Along the way, she realizes many things about herself and grows from that. She takes hold of her life, she finds direction, and she finds love she wasn't expecting (even if it's not what was agreed upon). At first I thought she might be more timid than she was, but she's not at all. She's strong and resilient. She doesn't adapt easily at first but once she realizes she needs to open herself up to new possibilities, she becomes so very strong.
Charlie might just be one of my favorite book boyfriends. he's charming and has so much humor. But He's closed also off when it comes to love and he struggles with his own past and the luggage he seems to carry from his loss. He doesn't believe he's worthy of it from anyone. He believes all he is good for is fun and doesn't want to weigh anyone down with the baggage he has. But he wasn't expecting Alice and how her love language is to take care of others, including him. I won't get into his issues, as they become paramount to the story and I certainly don't want to spoil anything. But Charlie has secrets he holds close to his chest, things he doesn't want others burdened with.
If you're looking for an amazing slow burn romance, look no further. The flirting! The touching! The gazing! Not to mention amazing banter! It's all right here. Carley builds the relationship between Alice and Charlie in little spurts. Each time letting the characters open to each other, though Alice opens more than Charlie does (at least until the end). But don't overlook the other connections that are made in this book. The found family aspect is very strong.
And I would be remiss if I didn't mention this book contains some of our favorite characters, mainly Sam and Percy. While we don't get a ton of them, we get enough to show their HEA continues to shine. And I absolutely love the connection Alice finds with Percy. Being a woman who doesn't have many close friends, I connected with this part of Alice very well. So when she had the opportunity to have a strong, independent, loving woman come into her life and be her friend, I cheered it on!
The lake, oh the lake! So much nostalgia packed into this story. I spent some summers when I was younger going to my friend's bungalow colony in New York. Her father owned two and one was right on a lake. I remember our lazy days of swimming, boating, fishing, and just laying out on the floating dock. It was so much fun and these books never fail to bring back those memories and the feelings that go along with them. Like me, Alice seems much more relaxed and happy at the lake. Days are spent lounging and not worrying about anything from real life. It's its own little bubble world of summer and fun. Fortune paints a great picture of what it looks like. This book made me laugh, cry, smile, swoon, and just downright feel happy. Tears were shed, in a good way, and my heart was full at the end. That, my friends, is the crux of a good story.
If I say the pacing in this one is fast, I would not be telling a lie. I truly didn't want to put it down. Fortune made me want to turn the pages over and over again so I could continue to bask in Alice and Charlie's story. I didn't want it to end, though. And, as I got closer to finishing it, all I could think to myself is when will Fortune be putting out another book? I love her plot lines. She does a great slow burn build with her characters.
This book is not only about finding yourself and what makes you happy, but the journey getting there and all those people who stand beside you (friends and family) to lift you up and help you shine. It's about support and generosity and keeping your heart open to new feelings and opportunities. It's also about sticking to your guns and morals and making sure you feel right about where you are and where you're going. If I could give this book infinity stars, I would. It hit all my spots for a great romantic story without being overly dramatic. If you're looking for a hot flirtatious boy who meets an artistic and people pleasing girl who both find, in the end, their lives are so much better when they open their hearts to love, then pick this up, sit down with it, and thank me later!

4.5 stars!
The girlies are going to eat UP this book over the summer. I felt like I never left Barry’s Bay. This really was Charlie’s redemption story. I loved how practical it felt and Alice’s character development was chefs kiss. It was kind of a slow burn which I wasn’t expecting, but the romance really came together for me. This book also felt generational which made it feel so relatable.

This was perfection. I have loved every book by Carley Fortune (I haven’t read Meet Me at the Lake though??! So I will be fixing that soon) and this was no different. It was beautiful in so many ways. I loved Alice and Charlie SO MUCH. Together, separate, all of it. They are simply so perfect. I also LOVED Alice and Nan, and Charlie and Nan!!

Alice and Charlie were SO GOOD together! They really saw each other. Alice is just trying to figure it out all while Charlie is so sure he doesn’t deserve a happy ending. Alice was able to see through Charlie’s mask, to see that he was just a sad boy underneath all his charm. They were two total opposites, Alice always played it safe and Charlie has always been reckless, but watching them come together was magic. Their banter and their chemistry was delicious. They had so much FUN over the summer, the summer that Alice dreamed of when she was seventeen. And I LOVED how full circle everything was.

Thanks to Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alice has always played it safe. But now, at 33 years old, she finds herself back on Barry’s Island, a lakeside home where she spent one summer at 17 years old. She wants to do all the things she never had the courage to do back then, and with the help of her very attractive neighbor, Charlie, she may get more than she bargained for.

I absolutely loved everything about this story. The lakeside setting, the bucket list for a free summer, the family support and the romance. Alice was such a fun and complex character. She is someone who grew and found her voice, and readers of all ages and times of life will be able to relate to her. Charlie is the MMC I was waiting for. He is bad boy fun, but also so sweet and caring. I also enjoyed the extra character of Nan, Alice’s grandmother, and her knife wisdom and love. While this takes place in the same setting as Every Summer After, it is not a true sequel and can be read as a stand alone. A perfect read to throw in your beach bag this summer!

I will read every single word Carley Fortune writes. This was absolutely a piece of art. I loved every minute and it was the perfect follow up to Every Summer After. I adored Charlie and Alice so much. They were both really well rounded characters with so much depth. I felt for Charlie so much, and when we learned more about him my love for him just grew! Again, this book brings nostalgic Canadian summers to the page.

" Because I love defying expectations, and you, Alice Everly seem to have a lot of them"

"Don't let wounds fester. It only gets harder to repair them"


- Good things happen at the Lake.

Thank you netgalley for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

I love Charlie I love Alice I love Nan I love the Percy and Sam follow ups 🩷 this is a great fast paced romance and I feel lucky to have read it as an arc!

Another joy from Carley Fortune! I loved returning to Barry’s Bay, and especially the relationship between Alice and Nan. The sparkling dialogue and sweet friendships brought me back to my own teenage years. How wonderful.

I was absolutely thrilled to head back to Barry's Bay and to finally get Charlie's story this summer, and I loved every minute of it! ☀️

Alice spent a summer at the lake with her grandmother years ago and took a photo that kickstarted her love of photography- three teens on a boat, living and loving their lives. This summer she and her grandmother head back to the lake, and Alice encounters the man that one of those teens became- Charlie Florek.

The characters in this book completely stole my heart, from charming, flirtatious Charlie to the wise and witty Nan and the cautious but ready to break out of her shell Alice. Checking back in with Sam and Percy made my heart happy, and this felt like an absolutely perfect continuation of their story.

The storyline involves bucket lists, stepping outside of your comfort zone, and learning to open your heart, all valuable lessons. This book will 100% be in my top romances of 2025, and I already want to head back to the Bay and read it again.

💗 Opposites attract
💗 Self-discovery
💗 Banter galore
💗 Summer nostalgia

Thank you so much to Berkley for the gifted ARC; all opinions are my own.

CHARLIE FOR LIFE. I haven't enjoyed Carley's books as much since Every Summer After, but this one was sooooo good. I loved that Alice was her own fully fleshed-out character, and her struggles/relationships felt very real to me. I have loved Charlie since ESA, so I was thrilled to read a book centering him and LOOOVED every moment.
Amazing!!!!

There is nothing I love more than having my heart ripped out and put back together again by Carley Fortune.

This follow up to Every Summer After reunites us with older brother Charlie, who is back in Barry's Bay for the summer and in need of some relaxation. Enter Alice, burned out freelance photographer and granddaughter to Nan, who is recovering from a fall and also needs a change of scene. Alice spent the summer in Barry's Bay as a teenager and decides that while she's back, she'll make a list and do all the things she wanted to do then but didn't (jump off a cliff into the lake, ride a Jet Ski, kiss someone, etc.). Naturally, Charlie sees her list and offers to help.

The single POV for this book follows Alice exclusively, which is fine except that Charlie is withholding some crucial information from Alice and from the reader, and it seems to come from nowhere when we finally learn it. Otherwise this is a warm and enjoyable summer read, and it was nice to see Sam, Percy, and everyone again.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Read This Book If…you need to get back to Barry’s Bay immediately!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Genre: romance
Series: Barry’s Bay # 2
Spice Level: 3/5🌶, 1-2 open door scenes
Setting: Barry’s Bay, Canada
POV: single, 1st person, present tense
Tropes: friends to lovers, friends with benefits

My Thoughts:
The queen of the summer beach read is back!!! Carley never fails to deliver an immersive setting, and I couldn’t be happier to be back in Barry’s Bay.

Now, if you haven’t read Every Summer After, I will HIGHLY recommend reading that first. We see a lot of Percy and Sam in this book and you’ll learn so much more about Charlie, the incorrigible flirt and star of this show.

But this book is from Alice’s perspective, and I loved her journey of self-discovery and finally going after what she wants. Alice’s family is so supportive, she just had to learn to ask for what she needed.

Alice and Charlie create a wonderful friendship, but Charlie and Nan made me literally laugh out loud throughout the book with their own friendship.

As per usual with Carley, I was in tears for the last 20% because of the heartbreak and tenderness.

Memorable Quote: “Why?” “Because I love defying expectations, and you, Alice Everly, seem to have a lot of them.”

Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!