This is a great summer read! I love the ambiance and setting in Carley Fortune's "One Golden Summer" with the mix of lake cottage vibes and nostalgia with reminiscing about a past summer at the lake. I enjoyed seeing Alice and Charlie's relationship grow at the lake because it offered an isolated setting for them to focus on each other with minimal outside distractions. The dynamic between Alice, Charlie, and Nan was a nice touch to the story.

Carley fortune does it again, her books feel so nostalgic in a way I can’t even explain, I end up missing places I’ve never even been and craving experiences I’ve never had!

This book throws us back into Barry’s bay, and the lake we know and love with ours truly Charlie Florek. We finally get Charlie’s story and it is everything I wanted and more.

Alice takes her grandmother back to the lake they spent one great summer at to get them both to relax, but little does she know her summer is going to be overrun by the boy next door Charlie. They quickly realize their friendship is something great, and they spend a summer as if they were teenagers again!

I adored Alice and Charlie and I cried and I laughed I seriously love this setting so much, I would read 100 stories set here.

Thank you netgalley and Berkley I will be re reading this over and over.

I love Carley Fortune and I loved this book! We get to go back to Barry's Bay and get to read about Charlie's journey. I laughed and I cried reading this book. This will be a great, can't put down summer read!

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up!!!!!!

If you know me, you know I was obsessed with Every Summer After when it was released in 2022. I am so grateful to have received an advanced copy of this! Carley Fortune has this rare gift of making you feel like you’re stepping straight into the golden, glistening summers of childhood, where the air hums with possibility, the water sparkles, and time feels like it stretches forever. One Golden Summer is nostalgic in the best way, carrying that signature warmth of hers, but it also dives deeper, exploring how life shifts after loss, how grief reshapes us, and how love can pull us back.

The setting shimmers off the page, but what really makes this story sing is the dynamic between Charlie and Alice. She’s shy and more reserved, & a bit lost, and Charlie coaxes the playfulness back out of her. He is the kind of person who reminds you how to laugh when you’ve forgotten how. Their chemistry is swoon-worthy, but more than that, it’s tender, thoughtful, and deeply felt. I feel like this book carries a more mature emotional weight than Every Summer After (which could be debatable), but it still has her signature magic: those butterflies-in-your-stomach moments, the tension of past moments and present colliding, and the aching beauty of second chances. The only reason it isn’t a perfect 5 is because I feel like having Charlie’s point of view would have done wonders for this story.

And while One Golden Summer is entirely its own story, Carley has once again managed to craft a novel that gives you that same feeling: like you’re right there, soaking in the sun, caught in a love story that feels both fleeting and infinite. It’s a reminder that life is short, that moments matter, and sometimes, the best thing you can do is just let yourself fall!!! I really loved this so much and can’t wait to pick it up in the summer again.

Thank you to Berkley for the advanced copy. Pub date is May 6!!!!

I’m such a big fan of Carley Fortune. There is so much to love about her latest book. I love that she revisited the characters from her first book. I love the beautiful Canadian setting and that she draws from her own life experiences. These books make me homesick for Ontario and summers spent at the lake. Highly recommend.

Thanks to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This book completely swept me away. It follows Charlie, the brother from Every Summer After, and while One Golden Summer can technically be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading Every Summer After first. It gives so much more depth to Charlie’s story and makes certain moments in this book hit even harder.

This is my favorite Carley Fortune book to date. There’s something about her writing that makes me nostalgic for a time and place I’ve never even experienced. I’ve never spent summers at a lake but reading her books makes me wish I had. The setting, the atmosphere and the emotions she brings to life are just stunning. The banter and yearning in this book were incredible and I completely fell for Charlie. He has a bit to make up for from Every Summer After and One Golden Summer made me love him wholeheartedly. He is easily one of my favorite book boyfriends of all time—I would walk through fire for him. He’s sexy, charismatic, a little tortured and full of depth. His chemistry with Alice was undeniable and I loved how their story truly began with her taking that first photograph of Sam, Percy and Charlie.

I was completely invested in their emotional journey and hooked on their connection from the very beginning. Their banter was so good—flirty, funny and full of that perfect push-and-pull dynamic. Alice’s insecurities felt really relatable and I was rooting for her every step of the way. My only small complaint is the same one I’ve had with Carley Fortune’s previous books—I always want more time with the characters happy and settled in their relationship. The third act breakup and resolution happen quickly and I wish we got more pages of them together. I was so sad when this book ended because I could have read hundreds more pages of these characters. I love them, I love the lake and I already want to reread. But overall, this was an absolutely beautiful book and Carley Fortune continues to be one of my favorites.

Carley Fortune has done it again. After flying through This Summer Will Be Different, I was chomping at the bit for One Golden Summer. Does anyone want to fall in love with me at a cottage this summer? It’s romantic, humorous and will be on everyone’s TBR this year.

Good things happen at the lake. That's what Alice's grandmother says, and it's true. When Alice looks back, she always thinks about the one magical summer she spent at the lake when she was a teenager. It's where she took the photo that kicked off her love of photography and changed her life forever. Now, after her grandmother has had an accident and Alice has felt stunted in her photography career, she's trying to return to that lake to have another magical summer. A magical, relaxing summer to cheer up her grandmother and to take a break from her profession that once was a passion. Their relaxing summer is soon interrupted by Charlie Florek, the man who cares for the cottage they're staying in for the next three months, and the man in that photo that changed her life.

This novel is a slight continuation from Fortune's novel "Every Summer After," and gives us the story of Charlie Florek. Charlie Florek is the brother of Sam from "Every Summer After," and was such a fun and compelling character in that first novel. Although he was not our main love interest and was involved in the major conflict in that story - the reader was still naturally drawn to his characterization. In Charlie, Fortune has created a magnetic male love interest who feels like a bro-y golden retriever, financial, frat guy who you would definitely trust to hold your drink at a bar. While the author might have not originally intended to put his story into a book after first writing "Every Summer After," it is a testament to how talented Fortune is in regards to even her side characters are loved enough for people to request their own standalone. Carley Fortune just honestly takes these novels way beyond romance and provides us with full fleshed people who are more than just who they're interested in.

‘One Golden Summer’ is an amazing book that I finished in a day! Carley Fortune’s writing is so relatable and makes you feel like you’re right there with the characters. A great summer beach read that you won’t want to miss.

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune completely redeemed her after her previous book didn’t quite hit the mark for me. This one was a breath of fresh air! I loved the story, and it was so heartwarming to return to Barry's Bay and reconnect with some of the characters from Every Summer After, especially Charlie. Fortune really gave his character the redemption he deserved. The writing was engaging, and the summer vibes were spot-on. I read this book in one sitting—I couldn’t put it down! I absolutely loved Alice and her quirky family. Her character was so different from Charlie, but they came together perfectly. Thank you to Berkeley Publishing for the ARC!

I’m honestly kicking myself for not reading books by Carley Fortune sooner, but I’m so glad I finally did. One Golden Summer was such a gorgeous, heartfelt read that I couldn’t put down, and now I want to devour everything she’s written! I had no idea I was missing out on this kind of beautiful storytelling, and let me tell you—Charlie Florek? I never anticipated him, but I am so glad he showed up.

This book takes you to a magical lake setting that Alice remembers fondly from a summer spent with her grandmother, Nan. Now, Alice, a photographer, is ready for a change and decides to return to Barry’s Bay with Nan. But things get complicated (and very, very interesting) when Charlie, the charming, flirtatious guy from her past, shows up on the scene.

The chemistry between Alice and Charlie is electric—seriously, you can feel it. And Alice’s internal struggle, torn between the simplicity of her past and the pull of something more, really tugged at my heart. The beautiful backdrop, the sense of nostalgia, and the warmth between these characters made this story so much more than just a romance.

If you haven’t read this one yet, do yourself a favor and pick it up. I promise you won’t regret it.

Carley Fortune's "One Golden Summer" is a nostalgic and heartwarming second-chance romance. Set against the backdrop of a picturesque lake town, the story follows two former childhood sweethearts who reunite after years apart, forced to confront the choices they made and the feelings they still harbor for each other. Fortune's writing evokes a strong sense of summer and nostalgia, and the chemistry between the main characters is palpable. While it treads familiar ground within the second-chance trope, "One Golden Summer" offers a sweet and satisfying escape for readers who enjoy a dose of romance with a touch of wistfulness.

Carley Fortune does something special with each book. She paints the dreamiest, swooniest, settings with her words and envelops readers in stories that feel both fresh & new and nostalgic & familiar. Every Summer After readers will be thrilled to return to Barry's Bay and enjoy catching up with Sam and Percy (if only briefly). Charlie and Alice, our love interests, are supremely deserving of their own story, as are Alice and Nan, a love story of a different kind. Characters, plot points, and setting feel extremely real and make for a compelling, comforting, engaging expereince. I only wish I could read it again for the first time. 5 Stars.

One Golden Summer is hands down my favorite book by Carley Fortune to date. I’ve been a huge fan of her work for years now, with Every Summer After being the one that got me hooked on contemporary romance in the first place. I haven't missed a release from her since. What I adore about her writing is how she nails that perfect balance between wit, warmth and romance, without it ever feeling too corny.

Alice and Charlie’s story is gorgeous. The banter between them is witty, funny, and sexy, making their connection feel real and organic. I loved watching their relationship evolve from strangers who tease each other, to friends, to friends with benefits, and eventually to falling in love. The slow build-up was beautifully done, and you could really feel the trust they developed for each other throughout the story.

Charlie has quickly become my favorite Carley Fortune man. He’s sexy, definitely had me clutching my figurative pears and punching the sky over a fictional man. Behind his confident exterior, though, there’s so much depth to him. His struggles and trauma are raw and real, even though we never get the story from his perspective. And Alice—her persistence was at times difficult to read, but I was rooting for her every step of the way.. As women, we’re often afraid to be too forward, worried about facing rejection, but Alice’s belief in her bond with Charlie is what drives everything home for me.

At its core, One Golden Summer is a beautiful story about what makes a love last, what makes it worth fighting for. It’s about overcoming your fears and insecurities, about learning to be vulnerable with the people who truly see you and love you. There’s something so special about seeing a relationship grow from friendship and trust into a deep, lasting love. I LOVE CARLEY FORTUNE she is THAT girl.

Ahhhh!!! Carley did it AGAIN. If you aren't a Charlie apologist, I beg of you, READ THIS BOOK!! Fortune does and did such an incredible job of capturing NOSTAlGIA. I would love to experience a summer at 17 again... particularly one with Charlie Florek by my side!!

I have to admit, I was nervous that returning to Barry's Bay wouldn't feel as exciting as the previous times, especially since we already "know" Charlie. But this book exceeded my expectations! I loved the way CF developed Charlie's character and was grinning at my kindle from the very first time he spoke on page.

The way this story starts with a photo is lovely, especially because Carley's books always feel like a Polaroid snapshot to me - kind of hazy, but glowy and warm in the way that only Polaroids can be. Nostalgic and heartwarming and lovely.

Highly recommend this one. I couldn't put it down.

YUP!!! my fave carley fortune book yet!!! i loved the vibes and loved the depth to the characters. yes yes yes!!

I could feel the sun hitting my skin while reading this book. It brought the summer lake feeling to me while there’s snow outside my window. I couldn’t put it down. Seriously, I found myself practically magnetized to the pages.

Who knew I needed Charlie’s story in my life until I had it? And Carley? Oh, she served it up perfectly.

If you’re a fan of her work, you’re going to eat this one up. It’s everything you’d want from a summer fling friends to lovers.

Watching two people fall for each other is fun enough, but watching Charlie (who we first met in Every Summer After) and Alice do it? Chef’s kiss. Their chemistry and their banter is perfection. All this with just a dash of spice.

“Which is how I find myself making out with the boy across the bay on a raft on Kamaniskeg Lake. Just two people, figuring their shit out, kissing each other like there’s nothing better in this world than just kissing.”

This book brought back all the first book feelings… I may have even gotten choked up a few times— Idky either! It’s not a sad book, promise.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit—there is one teeny complaint that I’m sure everyone who reads this will have. I won’t spoil anything, but let's just say... something happens in the third act. It’s not a deal-breaker, for me, it was just enough to keep it from being a five-star read, though it was so close.

This is one of the most anticipated books of 2025, and I get why. It’s the perfect beach read.

My favorite Carley Fortune book yet! I have been waiting on Charlie’s story since Every Summer After, and it delivered! The friendship into love was such a beautiful story between Charlie and Alice. Loved all our side characters as well. The setting was beautiful and despite it being an extra cold January, I felt like I was on the lake in the summer along with everyone in the story.

This is by far Carley Fortune’s best book. I felt like I was transported into another world where I’m at Barry’s Bay in Canada, with the sweetest neighbors. I feel like I am Alice, watching Charlie Sam and Percy having one of their many iconic summers across the lake.
I got to fall in love with Charlie’s swoon, kindness and his big heart who’s in desperate need of love. I got to watch Alice slowly help Charlie step out of his shell. I got to watch Charlie slowly help Alice step out of her shell. I got to watch them slowly learn more and more about each other. I got to watch Charlie get his endgame like Sam did.
I didn’t know I could feel nostalgic about something that didn’t happen in real life but I felt nostalgic about Every Summer After. I got to see Sam and Percy. I just love them and watching them and reading about them from Alice’s perspective. I just loved this book. I loved Carley’s amazing writing that is always so descriptive it feels like you are sitting on the dock of the lake listening to kids fool around and Sam and Charlie arguing. I feel like I’m basking in the summer sun reading for hours knowing I have nothing to do. This book is summer. It feels like.. One Golden Summer.