One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune was such a refreshing and nostalgic read. Set against the backdrop of a golden summer, this book was filled with beautiful moments, first love, and a perfect balance of lightheartedness and depth. The setting was gorgeous, and the characters felt so real and relatable. Carley Fortune has a knack for making you feel like you're right there in the story, experiencing everything with the characters. It’s a perfect pick for a summer read, even if it’s the middle of winter! The emotional depth in this one really stayed with me long after I finished it.

A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARCs of these amazing books! I am so grateful for the opportunity to dive into these stories early. If you’re looking for the perfect blend of romance, summer vibes, and feel-good moments, these three books are definitely worth checking out.

For more of my thoughts and reviews, be sure to check out my YouTube channel: [Kiana Lashay](https://www.youtube.com/@KianaLashay1). Don’t forget to subscribe for more book reviews and content!

I think this may be my favorite book yet! I was so excited to be transported back to Barry’s Bay! I loved Every Summer After and I was so excited to see more of Charlie’s character. The story follows Alice who is a photographer and returns to the Lakehouse for the first time since was 17. She plans to have the summer of a lifetime with her grandmother. Charlie (the man from Alice’s award winning photograph) is also there for the summer. This book was so much fun to read and I loved all the nostalgic summer vibes. I absolutely adored the storyline and there’s so many tender and sweet moments. It was so fun seeing how Charlie and Alice’s connected progressed. I loved the witty banter and I found myself smiling and laughing while reading. I enjoyed seeing Alice’s growth and her journey of self discovery. It was so fun getting glimpses of Perry and Sam’s life.

Read if you like:
-Found Family
-Friends to lovers
-Forced proximity
-Summer vibes

This is the third novel by Carley Fortune. While I enjoyed it, it and her previous book did not capture my heart like her first,Every Summer After. In this book Alice returns to the lake after 15 years with her grandmother as she recovers from hip surgery. This town holds special meaning for Alice—it’s where she first found her purpose as a photographer. She even once photographed three familiar faces—young Sam, Charlie, and Percy (yes, the main characters from Every Summer After), though she was too shy to introduce herself. Instead, she submitted the photo to a contest that won her an award and kick-started her career.. Fast forward 15 years With her sisters moving on with their lives, her divorced parents in their own worlds, and a break up with her beau, she buries herself in work. Her grandmothers invitation to join her at the lake is just the diversion she needs. Much to her surprise, one of the boys in that long ago photograph, now comes into her life. And of course this summer will effect change. Recommended for all public libraries.

OH MY GOSH, this book was fantastic!! I have read and LOVED every one of Carley’s books, I’ve rated them all 5 stars, but this? This is my new favorite. It’s literally going into my favorite romances of all time. I could not get enough! This is the perfect summer read, with a romance that’s swoon-worthy, and a story of family bonds that is beautifully captivating. I can’t wait for this to be released into the wild because everyone should read this book!

This book was a beautiful summer love story with witty humor and truly loveable characters. Alice is such a relatable character who, like many, battles with a lot of insecurity. Charlie, on the other hand, was so outwardly charming that you really couldn't help but love him. Both characters have a clear connection, which is evident throughout the story. However, the human experience we see in both the main characters makes this story so enjoyable. They are simultaneously going through their battles, and watching them navigate that and eventually share their stories with one another made for a great reading experience.

Alice Everly decides to live the summer of a lifetime when she and her grandmother return to the lake house where she spent the summer she turned 17. Fresh off a breakup and feeling burned out from work as a commercial photographer, Alice decides to cheer up her recently injured grandmother Nan with a trip back to the lake. What she doesn’t expect is Charlie Florek, the man featured in her now famous photograph of three teens in a brilliant yellow boat taken during her first summer there.

As handsome and flirtatious as ever, Alice tries to keep Charlie at a distance. But as she gets to know him, and as he helps her recreate the summer of youth she has always wanted, Alice begins to worry she won’t be able to say goodbye. Because for the first time in her life, when Alice sees someone, he sees her right back.

Be still my heart. As much as I loved Percy and Sam’s story in Every Summer After, I think I may have liked Charlie’s even more. After not getting his happy ending in ESA, I was desperate for Charlie to get the love story he deserved, and boy oh boy has Carley Fortune done just that.

Alice + Charlie are a match made in literary heaven. For all his charm and humor, he is a man struggling to overcome his losses and the feeling that he doesn’t deserve his HEA. Alice, having always played it safe, is worried about a reckless kind of love. Putting these two together for one perfectly imperfect summer was absolute dynamite.

While slower to connect with the story at first, by the time I was 25% in, I was fully connected. By the time I reached the third act, I was so anxious that these two wouldn’t get the happy ending they both deserved (Robinne Lee’s The Idea of You has completely traumatized me to the point of never knowing if an HEA is really coming our way).

And for those who loved Every Summer After as much as I did, well we get a whole lot more of Percy and Sam’s story in this book too. The found family aspect is strong. I adored watching Charlie and Nan become the best of friends, as well as Percy and Alice. These characters and their relationships all added so much to the book and never took away from the love story at its core. And as for that love story…well, let’s just say this book will easily make my 2025 favorite romances list.

Read if you like:
▪️summer nostalgia
▪️friends to lovers
▪️forced proximity
▪️found family
▪️text messages
▪️bucket lists
▪️fantastic banter

Thank you Berkley for the advanced copy!

A beautifully written book, Carley Fortune's best work yet. I loved the story and can't wait for her next work.

Reading this almost made me forget it's the dead of winter. It felt so good to be back in the world CCD has created and to be with some familiar characters. Since diving into her first book, I had enjoyed Charlie so I am so glad we finally got his book. While I of course loved the romance to this story, the story with Alice's grandmother really stole the show for me. I miss mine terribly and so wish I could spend a while summer with her. So it was amazing to read about Alice's summer with her grandma. Getting a glimpse into married life for Percy and Sam was excellent too. But now for the romance, oh man oh man. The man that is Charlie Florek. 10/10 love him (also nearly wanted to slap him at one point). He is everything and I just would like for him to be mine IRL. I cannot wait for my physical copy to arrive!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for early access.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced e-book reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune was one of my more highly anticipated reads once I found out we were FINALLY getting a story about Carlie Florek (previous mentioned in Ever Summer After). I really loved the concept of Alice being this successfully photographer who feels unsatisfied by life as she approaches her thirty third birthday. The chemistry between Charlie and Alice is hot hot hot! The twist at the end of the book had me tearing up! I rated the book 4/5 as Charlie really annoyed me in the beginning of the book, but it makes more sense as you read and as his character development progresses. If you feel drawn by this beautiful cover and you’ve loved Carley Fortune’s books in the last - definitely read this one too!

This Summer Will Be Different was one of my favorite reads of 2024, so I could not wait to get my hands on Carley Fortune’s new release this year. And it did not disappoint!

I bonded with our main character Alice from the very first page. She gives so much of herself to everyone she loves while also being self reliant to a fault. I am glad that, through her summer at the lake and her budding relationship with Charlie, she learned to depend on her loved ones more and be more open when she needs help or support. I must admit, I may have also needed that reminder.

Charlie, on the other hand, with his cockiness and slight arrogance at times, took a while to totally grab me. However, once he finally did, I was hooked. He became a softer, more vulnerable, and all-around better version of himself with Alice. I was rooting for them so hard. Plus, I have always loved when the guy falls first and hard, and you cannot convince me this was not the case here.

All in all, One Golden Summer has only further cemented the fact that I will read anything Carley Fortune publishes. It is always a joy to support Canadian authors, especially when I adore their work this much!

A sweet, nostalgic read about love, growth, and the magic of a fleeting summer. The writing is vivid, but the pacing drags at times, and some character arcs feel a bit thin. Still, it’s an enjoyable, heartfelt story that sticks with you. Perfect for fans of summer romances!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5/5 stars

Absolutely loved this story. The dual love story between the older characters and younger characters was beautiful and kept me engaged.

This is definitely my favorite in the series! Charlie is completely swoon-worthy, and I loved how he got Alice out of her comfort zone. LOVED!

As someone who hated Charlie and never wanted his book, I loved this, the characters, and Charlie/Alice. It was insta-lust, but slow burn. She also did not pine away for years (which I was a little worried about). No cheating between the two, but small discussion about him with Percy. Charlie is withholding something from her and I wish he was the one who was chasing her, but it made sense how it ended up happening. This is a perfect summer read with the lake and cottage vibes.

Thank you so much Berkley and NetGalley for the free eARC!

Alice Everly is floating aimlessly after a breakup, feeling lost and losing herself in her work, booking photo shoots left and right, dodging real life. When her grandmother falls and needs surgery and starts acting kind of similarly to Alice, she whisks them both away to the one place she knows they both will feel alive— the lake.

Alice can’t help but think back to a photo she took in the last summer she was in Barry’s Bay, just beginning to love photography: three teens enjoying summer on a yellow speedboat, titled “One Golden Summer”. And then she runs into one of the boys from the photo, all grown up, hotter than ever, and with the undeniable pull of someone she needs to get to know (and be annoyed by).

Charlie Florek is unattainable and emotionally unavailable, but enjoys spending time with Alice and her grandmother, hanging out in the summer sun, and being insanely nice to look at. The two form a friendship, which turns into more, and then naturally, blows up, as all of these things tend to do.

I loved Alice’s relationship with her family, Charlie’s with his brother and sister-in-law (who I was so glad to see again from two books ago!) AND Alice’s Nan and the way this book unfolded. Carley writes really in-depth female characters who I so appreciate!

Bonus points for Alice being a photographer- I really love reading about headstrong women with creative jobs. Gives me a warm feeling in my soul.

One Golden Summer is yet another incredible story by Carley Fortune set in Barry's Bay. Charlie Florek and Alice Everly are everlasting. Their seventeen-year-old summer is one for the books, and I enjoyed every golden second!

Carley - I will read anything you write! Your books always go to my TBR list. So glad I was able to read this early. I loved the grumpy and playful banter between the characters. All the feels! Our library already has holds for this one!

I never pass up a Carley Fortune book and her newest release just as amazing as her others! I absolutely loved this story. I loved the characters and the chemistry they had. I did feel it went a little slow at times, but I still couldn't put it down. Definitely a must read for the summer!

Beautiful and brings all the nostalgic feelings. This made me really long for lake summers and I’ve literally never had one???? Charlie + Alice were so cute, and so perfect together. I had butterflies during every flirty sweet endearing interaction (all of them). And Alice made my heart melt truly, I really admire her and her growth!!!!!

Carley Fortune didn't come to play!!! This is her best book yet <3 the romance book of the SUMMER!!

This was so much fun. It literally gave me life and it made me so excited for summer. If there's something that Fortune knows how to do, is writing good imaginery and descriptive settings. This was nostalgic and it felt so pure, so it honest, so human, so SPECIAL and REAL!!!

Charlie Florek!!! My sweet, sad broken man. He and Alice made the perfect couple and seeing them overcoming their insecurities and finding solace in each other was beautiful to see.

"Good things happen at the lake." 🚤🌞📸🫂💘

Thank you so much Berkley for the reader advance copy.

“I think the older we get, the scarier shit becomes”.

Charlie Florek is an onion. The man has layers, that are slowly peeled away in One Golden Summer. Alice Everly is a caterpillar shifting into a butterfly. Quietly hiding behind a camera until she finally steps in front of it.

Readers have waited a very long time for Charlie’s story and believe me, it’s worth it. Carley has somehow managed to perfectly capture the allure of summer in her writing. I’m honestly still mystified by the glory of Barry’s Bay and appreciate the subtle nods to Toronto.

But no doubt, One Golden Summer is Carley Fortune’s Avenger’s Endgame, it’s her Super Bowl. Alice and Charlie’s story is mature, doesn’t have a dual timeline, and holds you. I also really loved Nan’s inclusion to the story it offered a sage perspective on life. Carley gathers up her beloved characters from Every Summer After and settle them back in Barry’s Bay for the reunion readers have been waiting for. Crumbled with little easter eggs and life updates while also infusing them into Charlie and Alice’s little bubble and love story. We’re on the outside gleefully looking in.

I never ever thought that I would get an early copy of this book. But here we are. Canadian stories matter now more than ever and I can't wait for the world to escape into the beauty of our nation, while also diving into Charlie and Alice's story. Thank you Berkley Publishing and Berkley Romance for the advance reader copy.